Tending to Him
by Alley Sajrob
Summary: "So, what are you two now?" Harry wondered, glancing between Ron and me. As it turns out, I honestly didn't know. Ugh, that dream! Why did I have that dream? Nothing good came out of it. The only thing I am somewhat sure of is this: I think I'm in love.
1. One Simple Idea

Hi! Potato speaking! (For those of you who don't know…look on my profile).

This is my latest story I'm writing on fanfiction (for now… o.O) I felt like I had to make one about R/Hr because in the Untold Story, Ron and Hermione were NOT together…I realized I didn't like that decision too late. But I still like how it turned out! And NO, it's not a guilty feeling, I just wanted to make a fanfic about Ron and Mione…cause I do indeed like them. (Post DH end chapter (no, epilogue not included))

ANYWAYS, here it goes!

Tending to Him

Chapter 1: One Simple Idea

**Hermione's Point of View**

I dreamed last night of him. We were sitting together, but we were just sitting. Usually my dreams were about all of us: Ron, me, _and_ Harry. But not this one. When I woke up the next morning, I felt uneasy about what I had dreamed. I rested in my bed for a good twenty minutes and thought about it. I should've been happy: Voldemort was gone, Harry was alive, and Ron and I…well...we were… I kissed him. And it felt good – even better that he kissed me back. But I didn't feel good now. I felt as if what I did was wrong… as if I almost pressured him into snogging me back… just afraid that it'd be the last time we'd see each other. I didn't know if this was just a reaction to my first _real_ kiss, but I didn't want to mess around with it. We hadn't even talked about it, and we needed to. I would talk to him on the train.

Unfortunately, that time didn't come so soon. The whole ride home on the Hogwarts Express, Harry had been pestered from everyone (except one particular redhead that I will surely talk to later) about his heroic battle between him and Voldemort. Neville, Luna, Dean, Seamus rode with Ron, Harry and me in the same compartment – Luna and Dean having to sit on the floor because it was so cramped.

After about an hour into the ride, I fell asleep against Ron's shoulder (which I didn't mind). I woke up about a half an hour later. The seven of us continued to babble, and somewhere along the way, a subject that I found out to be odd just then came up.

"So, what are you two now?" Harry wondered, glancing between Ron and me, obviously wanting to get off of the subject that the great Dark Lord had perished.

"What are we now?" I asked and looked at Ron for a split second, trying to make him not see the red emerging on my face.

"Yeah. What are you two now?" Harry repeated. I looked at Ron. He buried his sheepish laugh by shrugging and letting out a big sigh. I hid a giggle after this.

"I don't know," I admitted and scratched my head absentmindedly. Ron then furrowed his eyebrows.

"What?" he asked. I was a bit surprised by this.

"What?" I replied, not knowing what else to say.

"Well, you don't seem very sure about us," he answered.

"Hence the 'I don't know,'" I replied. I was getting worried now. It seemed like he was taking it the wrong way… but what would I say? What's done is done! Oh no… Ron I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that!

"Well you also don't seem very happy," he continued. Yeah. He took it the wrong way. Although, I didn't exactly know if it _was_ the wrong way, considering what I had thought about this morning.

When I didn't answer, he stood up and announced,

"I'll be back when we get there." I immediately got up after he left the compartment and followed him to an empty one.

"Ron-" I started but got interrupted by him when he spun around and asked,

"What is it?" I exhaled quietly, letting him be mad.

"I didn't mean to hurt you feelings-" I said calmly, but again, was stopped in my sentence.

"Oh, no, Hermione," he said. "It's completely fine that you told in front of everyone that you don't have feelings for me."

"I never said it was fine, Rona-" I tried to explain.

"Good! Then you understand that they definitely knew that I feel really strongly for you."

Oh Ron, I wish you could understand.

"Okay, you see…" I began, hoping I was making the right decision. "I just can't help but feel that there's something between us… keeping us apart. I don't know what it is, Ron. And I know I should feel happy right now, and you're all that I want, but I'm beginning to question that now."

**Ron's Point of View**

What is she talking about? She kissed me. I kissed her. I thought that we were happy…I guess I was wrong. NO! I won't be wrong…but she said that she didn't feel right with me…and if she says that, if I really like her, then I'll accept it as hard as it may be.

"…Alright," I finished after a few long moments. She blinked a few times.

"Alright? Are you sure?" she asked. I had to smile at this. I know she wasn't trying to make me laugh, but it was just one of those moments were something like this is funny.

"Yeah, Hermione, I'm sure," I said. "Just like old times. And maybe I feel the same way."

She smiled at me and hugged me. I couldn't help but feel butterflies in my stomach as I hugged her back…so much for feeling the same way.

"Thank you," she said. I smiled faintly and nodded. She then let go of me and sat down on one of the benches. I sat down beside her.

"How much longer to you think we have?" I wondered. She shrugged.

"Maybe twenty minutes or so," she guessed. I nodded, but then something caught me off guard. I breathed in roughly between my teeth and then dropped to the ground.

"Ron? Ron, what's wrong?" Hermione wondered as she plopped down beside me. I placed my hand on my upper stomach and breathed in harshly again. Then, she lifted up my shirt to see what was wrong. I tried to stop her, but it just hurt even more. She gasped when she saw what I'd been trying to hide.

"Ron, what is this?" she said looking horrified.

"It's nothing-"

"Ron!"

I gave in. I wouldn't be able to hide this forever.

"It's just a little cut a got at the battle and I took some stuff that should make it better," I explained.

"Ron, this is not just some little cut," Hermione disagreed. "And it obviously needs more than 'some stuff.' Let me help."

She then helped me sit up on the bench again and she searched in her purse for something to stop the bleeding. She found whatever it was and placed it on my chest. I inhaled sharply again, but it passed quickly and Hermione then placed my shirt back down to where it was supposed to be…I didn't mind it being up though.

"Better?" she wondered. I nodded.

**Hermione's Point of View**

We talked. We talked a lot, actually. It was just like old times. At this moment, when we were talking about garden gnomes, I realized how long we had gone just not…talking.

Whenever he smiled, chuckled, blushed, or did _anything_ really, he made me do the same. I know the call to be "just friends" was uncertain, but I couldn't help feel more. Again, I was stuck at the same place I was one to two years ago. Hopeless. UGH! Why did I say that? And now I can't take it back, because he feels the same way I did. I was about to continue to say something, but the train then stopped, and we were in the station.

Ron and I smiled at each other and then walked down the aisle to our original compartment. This is where we saw everyone else come from it, smile faintly at us, and then walk away. Harry was the only one left.

"Hermione, I'm sorry-" he started.

"No, Harry, it's okay," I stopped him before he could go on. "Everything's fine now. We worked everything out."

"So you're 'back together' then?" he wondered. I looked up at Ron, who did the answering for us.

"No, actually, mate," he said. "We're…taking a break."

"Oh," said Harry and scratched his head a few times before continuing. "Why? What happened?"

I saw Ron mouth, "I'll tell you later," to Harry. Harry nodded in the affirmative; a concerned look on his face.

We then got our bags and headed off of the train.

The Weasleys welcomed us home and we then apparated to the burrow.

"Alright, Hermione you can go ahead and put your things in Ginny's room and Harry in Ron's," Mrs. Weasley instructed. We did as ordered and placed our trunks in the designated rooms.

*StarStarStar*

It soon became night, and dinner seemed to pass very quickly – not just with Ron eating half of it.

Afterwards, I was in the bathroom on the third floor. I changed into my pajamas, brushed my teeth, and washed my face. Then, I opened the door to find myself crashing into another body…another shirtless, damp body wrapped in a towel at the waist. Ron.

"Oh!" I gasped and backed away, trying to take my eyes off of his chest, but couldn't.

"Sorry!" he responded and held onto his towel. "Harry's in the bathroom upstairs…"

"Oh no, it's fine," I replied and grabbed my clothes and supplies that I hoped he didn't see.

"Er…how's your cut?" I wondered, trying to fill the space of awkward silence.

"Better," he said and absentmindedly touched his injury. He dropped his hand after a few moments, and after we heard someone behind him clear his throat.

"Well this is something isn't it?" George said and crossed his arms. Not knowing what else to do, I murmured goodnight to the both of them and hurried into Ginny's room. After I closed the door, I heard Ron say something like, "Do you have to do that, George?"

I blushed slightly, and then looked at Ginny. She was in her bed looking at me with one raised eyebrow.

"And what was that?" she wondered.

"Oh, shut it," I mumbled and placed my clothes back in the trunk and climbed into a spare mattress beside her bed. She then turned the lights out.

"I ruined it, Ginny," I sighed. I saw her turn to me.

"Ron?" she inquired.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "I told him…that something didn't feel right between us. But now I'm not so sure that I agree with that anymore."

"Well you better tell him quick," Ginny suggested. "Cause soon he might fully accept that you don't like him."

I don't think "like" completely explains how I feel for him.

**Ron's Point of View**

"Will you tell me what happened now?" Harry questioned as I hoped in my bed across from his. I sighed, but nodded.

"She said…" I began uneasily. "She said that she felt there was something not right between us. So she said that we should just be friends. And… I guess I feel it too. I mean I feel something a whole lot different from what I felt for Lavender. I feel…like if anything ad happens to Hermione, I'll be responsible…like I'm supposed to watch out for her every day and every hour just to make sure she's okay. But…I can't explain the feeling."

"That's called compassion, mate," Harry replied and chuckled, "and that's not a 'just friends' feeling either." I sighed again and thought about her.

"Well, it seems to me as though you still like her," Harry replied. "So, you need to tell her how you feel before it really sinks into her head that she doesn't want you anymore. Believe me, Ron: I've never seen anyone as well matched as you and Hermione. Don't let that go."

Pfft. "Like" doesn't completely explain now I feel for her.

A/N: YAY! First chapter DONE! This chapter was a bit hard to write…(I started with the third chapter first…yeah…) Anyways, hope you liked it! OH by the way, the chapter name is explained in later chapters. Or maybe you already figured it out. Next chapter coming soon!


	2. See You Tomorrow

Tending to Him

Chapter 2: See you tomorrow

"Hermione?"

She walked into my bedroom. Harry was already downstairs, which made Ginny stay upstairs, and I was in my bed, looking up at her hopefully.

"I need to tell you something," I told her. I couldn't believe I was about to do this: tell her that I couldn't go a day without looking at her with desperate, longing eyes. She scrunched her eyebrows together and walked over to my bedside and sat down on it.

"Yes?" she wondered.

**Hermione's Point of View**

Was he about to say what I thought he was going to say? What I was going to try to tell him as best as I could? Or was it just the opposite. Oh no, had it already gotten to his head that I'm not for him?

_Oh, please, Merlin, don't let that be the case._

"Er… Can you get a wash cloth over there?" he asked. I tried not to show any emotion. I felt compromised: I was glad he didn't agree that we should be apart, but I was also sad that he didn't say that we should get back together.

WHY WAS I SO STUPID? HOW COULD I LET SOMETHING AS GOOD AS RON GO?

"Oh, never mind-" he disagreed and began to get up; I could tell he thought he was being too pushy at this request.

"No, it's fine, I'll get it," I defended and got up, saving him a trip to the restroom. I heard him sigh and slump back down in his bed. I then rinsed the washcloth under lukewarm water for a few moments, and then I walked back into his room.

"Thanks-" he began and started to reach for the cloth, but I cut him off again.

"Let me," I insisted and pulled the covers down from his torso. Hopefully, this would give him some kind of hint.

**Ron's Point of View**

Um…what was she doing?

_Okay, Ron, calm down. Oh, stop that red from coming on your face! Control yourself!_

She pressed the cloth with a surprisingly comfortable temperate down on my cut, and held it there. I looked up at her, trying my best not to do or say something stupid.

"That feels good," I spit out, but immediately regretted it. The way I heard it, it sounded stupid. But when I looked back up at her after I had turned my head away, she was giggling. This made me feel embarrassed, so my face just heated some more.

"Well good," she said, finally saying something. I began to think about what Harry had said to me last night: _You need to tell her how you feel before it really sinks into her head that she doesn't want you anymore._

So, I commenced a plan in my head to make her like me again, because just a few minutes ago when I was about to tell her, it didn't work at all. I need her to see that I need her…and that she needs me…and that I will never be able to stop fancying her. But, it seems as though she had something in mind, first.

"Ron," she began as I shivered when she said this, "maybe I should take care of you."

Take care of me? What's she talking about?

"I mean, you're cut is getting worse day by day," she continued, "and it's already limiting you to a lot of things. Besides, it's huge! You know what, I'm not even going to ask for your permission. From now on, I'm at your aid."

I looked up at her and perched up on my elbow, and as a result, I exhaled strongly (partly faking it, might I add).

"See, this is why," she said and adjusted herself on my bed again, lowering me back down on my pillow. "You can't even sit up."

"Well, how are you going to aid me if there's nothing to aid me with?" I wondered, partially hating myself for bringing up something that could stop her from being by my side all day.

"Don't be silly, Ron," she replied. "Of course I have things to aid you with…for now, at least."

I should've known. Hermione always has _something_. She went into her beaded purse and took out a small bottle. I couldn't tell what it was, which made me a little worried.

"This might sting a bit," she warned.

…I'm not good with stinging.

I didn't argue, though. It couldn't hurt as much as the injury was hurting now. She placed the liquid on a little Q-tip and began to rub it on my long cut. I bit my lower lip and scrunched my eyes closed tight, but after a few seconds, I opened them back up; the pain was beginning to vanish. I looked up at Hermione, astonished.

"Helps, doesn't it?" she said in her "I told you so" voice. A nod was my response. I was perched up on my elbows again.

"I don't have much, but maybe I should go get some more tomorrow," she said, thinking out loud. She looked back at me and raised her eyebrows seeing that my expression had not changed. She giggled again.

"Thank you," I murmured, finally saying something.

"You're welcome," she whispered back and smiled faintly.

This is a moment where I'd want to snog her, and right now, I was tempted to do so. But, seeing as though us two were in a sort of conflicted position, I did no such thing.

Although, when she cleared her throat and backed away, I didn't realize how close we had come.

**Hermione's Point of View**

…Why did I do that? We could've made up and put all of this confusion behind us! Maybe I was just afraid that if I didn't stop it, he would've.

He smiled goofily when we both leaned away from each other, and this made the pink appear on my face again.

"Do you need anymore help?" I asked him, getting my mind off of what could've just happened.

"Not that I know of…" he answered and rested back down on his pillow off of his elbows.

"Well, I'll be downstairs," I told him and got up from his bed.

"I think I'm going to go back to sleep for a while," he said and tried to pull the covers over his shoulders. I assisted him with this and laughed.

"Okay," I giggled and sarcastically added, "see you tomorrow."

A/N: A fairly shorter chapter than the last… Anyways, you like? Hope so! Things are a bit weird now between the two, and Hermione will go deeper into detail why she broke it off between them shortly…maybe even the next chapter! But don't get your hopes up (:D). Next chapter coming soon!


	3. Coming Back Around

Tending to Him

Chapter 3: Coming Back Around

**Third Person Point of View**

A towel was wrapped around Hermione's wet clothes, and she was shivering.

"Are you cold?" Ron wondered. Hermione just ignored this and walked over to the hot cup of water and was about to dip a washcloth in it, when Ron said, "Get in."

Hermione put down the cloth quickly and responded, "What? No, Ron."

"Hermione-Ow!" he protested but was interrupted by the aching pain in his side as he tried to twist up. This made Hermione instinctively jumped forward a smidgen to him. "If you don't come in here I'm going to have to-OW-come and get you myself."

Hermione looked down at him with an uncertain look on her face, even though what she was thinking clearly didn't match it. After thinking about it for a few moments, she sighed, gave up, and climbed into the open sheets he had spread out close to him.

He was leaning on his arm, and despite the pain it caused him to endure, he placed a small smile on his face.

**Hermione's Point of View**

I rested my head back on the small pillow next to his chest, not taking my eyes off of his blue ones for a few minutes. Afterwards, I did and I scraped the blankets and sheets off of his torso. As I did, my skin brushed his skin, making him shutter, making me shutter.

"Oh, it still looks awful," I pouted, knowing that he did seem attracted to that.

"No, it's getting better," he disagreed. "It doesn't hurt as much as it did."

Oh, look at that. He's pretending for me… Well, maybe not _for_ me. I don't even know if he still likes me after what we had discussed a few days ago.

"Good," I muttered, and then I reached over to the back table, soaked the washcloth in the warm water for a few seconds, and then drained it out. I turned back to Ron, accidentally turning into him when I did…not that I hated it….

"Oh," we said at the same time, and then we both laughed nervously. I could see some red poke at the top of his ears. This made me smile shyly. I continued on what I was going to do, so I turned fully around and lightly pressed the cloth onto his still-red cut. He winced a tad, closing his eyes, but then he sank into it. He opened his eyes after a while and said, "So it was raining outside?"

I nodded and answered, "Dragons and Hippogriffs."

This made him smile, which made me smile, as always.

"Where'd you go?" wondered Ron. I thought it was about time I took the cloth off of his unclothed chest, so I turned and placed it on the table again.

"Just out," I answered, biting my lower lip…I also knew that he seemed attracted to that, too.

**Ron's Point of View**

Oh Merlin, does she know I love that or something? I blushed at the thought.

" 'Just out'?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow and smirking slightly, knowing that she seemed to like that. My plan was beginning.

"You'll find out later," Hermione replied and just look away smiling flirtatiously.

Oh man I think she's onto me…

"Fine," I gave up and narrowed my eyes at her. She giggled at this as her cheeks became pink. "I guess I'll just have to wait and see what it is."

"Yes you will," said Hermione as she looked back at me and smiled sheepishly. The ends of her hair were still damp, but the rest seemed to dry. I reached with the arm I wasn't leaning on and placed my hand on the damp parts of her hair. I then moved part of her curled bangs out of the way of her eyes. The smile on her face faded, but it didn't go away completely. But I could care less about that. I was staring into her eyes-her beautiful, soft, brown eyes.

I exhaled deeply as I looked into them, and then mumbled, "Wow."

"What?" Hermione whispered almost inaudibly.

"You have the most amazing eyes I've ever seen," I answered quietly. Absentmindedly, I began to stroke her cheek with the pad of my thumb.

She smiled faintly and replied, "_You_ have the most amazing eyes _I've_ ever seen."

_Oh, Hermione. What is it with you and me? Do you still like me like you did when you snogged me? Or are you just trying to be nice to me? _

_Well yes, one thing is for certain: I am absolutely crazy about you. But please, just tell me what you think of me, so my mind can be put to ease…I mean, you sort of already did that, but I'm getting mixed signals! GAH. _

"Well, well, well," the both of us heard someone speak from the doorway. I scowled, while Hermione just tolerated it.

"Sorry," George apologized in a mocking way, "I didn't know I'd be walking in on you guys. Sorry that I interrupted…but might I say, this does seem a little extreme don't you think, Ronny-poo?"

This is when I threw a pillow at him, which was followed by an aching pain in my side that made me say, "OW!"

George had kicked the pillow inside the doorway and had closed the door behind him, and saying, "I'll give you two some privacy," before he left.

Hermione instantly got up (which I didn't like) and went to get a certain magical alcohol rub. She unscrewed the lid and then dabbed a cotton ball into it. Then, she placed it on my injury, which made me breath in through my teeth harshly.

"Shh, it's okay," she soothed as she kept running the cotton ball up and down my cut. It eventually felt better and I began to breath evenly again. She smiled softly as she saw me beginning to feel better.

"That's better, isn't it?" she mumbled. I nodded my head and closed my eyes briefly. When I opened them, I saw her yawn.

"Are you tired?" I wondered and then looked over at the clock that read 22:00.

"No, no," she protested and waved her hand. "No, of course not-"

But then she yawned again.

I opened the sheets without wincing, which felt good. Hermione gave up again and climbed into the sheets next to me again.

"So if it starts hurting again, you're right here," I whispered into her ear.

**Hermione's Point of View**

Oh, why does he keep making me blush and making goose bumps appear on my arms?

"Okay," I sighed after I was in the sheets and huddled next to him, but I faced the other way. And before I knew it, a strong, good-looking, soft, muscular arm was around me, and I felt him shift next to me. I didn't protest. I sank into the sheets a little bit more, and let myself roll over a bit so that I was lying against him. Moments later, my eyelids fluttered closed as I took in the scent of the man I was against.

*StarStarStar*

Something seemed bright…something also seemed extremely comfortable.

I opened my eyes slowly and saw that I was facing the window, which I wasn't when I fell asleep…in Ron's arms.

Oh Merlin did that really happen? Was I dreaming about all of that?

I turned my head slightly, and found that I wasn't lying on a pillow, but on his chest. He was still sound asleep. When he began to shift, I laid my head back down on his chest and closed my eyes, pretending I was asleep.

I felt him stop moving, and then brush the hair from my eyes. I tried not to blush, but I could feel my face heating up. Then, I heard footsteps in the hall and the door opening.

"Ron?" I heard Harry whisper. "Oh, hey mate."

I felt Ron shift again and his heart rate speed up.

"Uh…hey," he replied slowly.

"I'll be downstairs…."

Once Harry's footsteps had faded away, I fluttered my eyes open slowly and moaned, pretending I'd been asleep all this time. Then, I rubbed my eyes and focused in on Ron.

Oh jeez, he even looked handsome when he was messy in the morning.

"Morning," he greeted and smiled softly. I got off from his chest and slid my torso off of him onto the bed. I then placed my elbow on the comforter and put my head on my hands.

"Good morning," I replied. I looked at him after I rubbed my eyes briefly. He was looking at my face, and occasionally glimpsing around it. Then I remembered something: My morning look was not my forte.

Not knowing what else to do, I smoothed out my hair (which probably didn't do much) and flipped over so that I was on my back and my hair was covered up some more.

"Do you want to go get some breakfast?" Ron asked. I giggled slightly, knowing he'd ask this sooner or later.

"Yeah," I replied. "Sounds good."

I got up and looked at the small clock in his room. It read 9:30. Everyone would be up by now. I walked into the bathroom (seeing I could go since Ron was unmoving with his eyes closed back on the bed), stopping to get some new clothes on the way, and then changed.

"Ahugh!" I jumped at the sight of my hair in the mirror. It was unruly and was sticking up every direction possible around my face. I sighed, and blushed, thinking that this was how I looked in front of Ron.

Erasing the image from my head, I quickly yanked a brush through it, making it at least presentable, pulled on my clothes, and put on some deodorant.

Quickly, I walked back to Ron's room where I put all of my other clothes back in my trunk. He was just getting up when I came in. I stood up after I put my clothes away and looked at him. He noticed this.

"I'll be fine," he replied and walked slowly out of the room and into the hall.

"I'll be down in a few minutes," he told me. I nodded in response, and then I went downstairs and joined most of the Weasleys and Harry there. I sat down next to him.

"AJfkjdhgk," I heard Harry ask. I jumped at the sound of Pig hammering against the window.

"Sorry?" I asked Harry after George had fetched the bird.

"Where's Ron?" Harry repeated.

"Oh," I began, "he's coming down. He said he could get ready himself…I'm not so sure of that now, though."

Right after that, we heard a loud thump that continued for a few moments. Everyone froze and then looked up at the ceiling.

"I'm not so sure of that either," he replied. The two of us then shot up out of their chairs and ran upstairs.

"Ron, really, how much trouble can you get in when all you have is a little cut?" Harry groaned as he lifted Ron up off of the bathroom floor. He was fully clothed, and a toothbrush was in his hand.

"I just slipped on some water that I spilled," he said. "It has nothing to do with the cut. The cut's getting better and better." He looked at me thankfully. I smiled in return.

"Well, be careful. I wonder what it'd be like if you were in a puddle," Harry teased and then walked out of the doorway, but stopped to look at me.

"Are you going to show him later today?" he whispered to me. Ron's head perked up from the toothbrush. I acted as if I didn't notice this and nodded in response to Harry. He eyed Ron, and then me, and then back to Ron. I furrowed my eyebrows at this, and I then knew what he was thinking. He wouldn't be joining me for the surprise we had gotten for him yesterday. This made me wonder: Did Ron tell Harry anything about our relationship?

A/N: Ah…sort of a cliffhanger…yeah…well you'll just have to wait and see what happens! Heh… Tell me whatcha think! Next chapter coming soon!


	4. Romantic Flight

Tending to Him

Chapter 4: Romantic Flight

I waited in Ron's room until he got dressed. It only took about five more minutes, but it seemed like ages. I kept thinking about how today would go. I had to admit, I was nervous. Without Harry, it would be only Ron and I. Well…it's been that way for a few days now. But still, how could I explain without him there? He'd think that I'm confused. Well, I sort of was.

He walked back into the room and placed his pajamas in his drawers messily. I rolled my eyes, got up, and organized them properly. I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw red all over his face. A small smile appeared on my face after I placed his boxers away, but hey, an aid's got to do what an aid's got to do.

"You didn't have to do that-" he began.

"I know," I cut him off, "but I wanted to."

And with that, I began to head out the door down the five flights of stairs.

"Er," he started again as we walked, "I might've over heard you and Harry talking."

"And what we were saying?" I replied to him, knowing all to well what it was.

"He was wondering if you were going to show me something today," he responded. "And you nodded."

"Well, Ronald, I guess you'll just have to wait and see."

He grumbled, "Ugh," in reply to this, and I smiled, chuckling silently to myself.

"Well, okay," I gave in, wanting to give him some sort of hint. "Do you remember when you asked where I went yesterday?"

Ron was obviously happier I was telling him something about what was later to come. He nodded in answer.

"Well, Harry and I went out, and we wanted to get something for you."

"Obviously, Hermione, why else would you not tell me anything about it?" he replied

"Shut up," I mumbled. "Do you want your surprise or not? Cause I can cast it away in my sleep. You know I can."

He immediately shut his mouth.

"Good."

We walked down one more flight and finally reached the kitchen where Harry, thankfully, had already set up. The other Weasleys apparently finished their breakfast, so they were not in the room. Ron's mouth went agape as he looked at what his breakfast was.

"And why did you do this?" Ron wondered, still stunned.

Harry walked up and passed us, saying, "Hermione will explain everything."

I noticed Ron raise an eyebrow and then look back at the cake. It wasn't very large, but knowing Ron, he could eat it by himself. Also knowing Ron, he _would_ eat it by himself.

"So, I believe an explanation is in order," he said and crossed his arms, trying to look serious.

"Oh, wipe that look of your face," I ordered and giggled. "You're not fooling anyone. You'll get an answer later, now eat up."

Ron smiled and sat down, not even cutting out a piece and eating the cake with a large fork. I laughed again and sat down across from him.

_And he thinks he's excited now_ I thought_. I can't wait to see his face until later…_

He finished half of the cake in about ten minutes. He used the sleeve of his shirt of wipe off the crumbs from his face, which I laughed at, and he still didn't get the entire mess off of his face. I reached for a cloth at the other end of the table and gently dabbed around his mouth to get the remaining chocolate off of his face.

**Ron's Point of View**

Merrrrrrrrrlin. Honestly, I have to say I that felt nice. My face instantly heated up. She smiled sweetly and placed the cloth to the side.

"Now will you tell me why I'm eating this cake for breakfast?" I inquired. I really wanted to know.

"If you come outside with me, then yes," she replied. I exhaled and obeyed her, following her outside. We walked over outside the burrow over to the shed. I raised my eyebrows at her, and she responded by waving her hands at it.

"Go on," she added. "Open it."

I scratched the back of my head absentmindedly and stepped over to the shed and opened it. When I did, a long box came falling down and it hit me on my forehead. I heard Hermione giggle. I picked up the long package that had fallen and held it in my arms. I looked back up at Hermione, feeling clueless. She, again, assisted me and told me to unwrap it.

I did and found a long, new broomstick within it.

"That's another place Harry and I went yesterday," Hermione said as I stared at the broom. "We thought you'd like it."

"…Why?" I wondered and looked at her.

"I-we-remembered that we didn't do anything for your birthday and we wanted to get you something," she replied.

"We missed your birthday, too, though," I countered.

"Oh, don't worry about me," she insisted. "This is for _you_."

I smiled, and then it turned into a little smirk.

"Well you know what we have to do now," I said and walked over to her, who was only a few meters from me. She glanced up at me, then at the broom, and then back up at me. She knew what I was thinking.

"No, Ron," she disagreed. "You know I don't like flying!"

"So maybe it's time to change that," I said and mounted my broom. "Hop on."

"No!" she said again and stalked off into the house. I groaned and quickly put my new broomstick away and ran after her, calling her name.

"Oh, come on, Mione!" I said and raced up the stairs to where I heard her go. I went into Ginny's room. She wasn't there. Ginny wasn't either. But I could care less about that. I then went up to my room and found her there soaking a washcloth in warm water.

"Hermione," I groaned again and slumped down on my bed.

"I need to check up on it," she said and pushed me back on my bed as she walked by, grabbing some medicine from her bag.

"You already have," I answered and closed my eyes.

"It'll only do you good, Ronald," she replied and paced quickly back into the bathroom. Already knowing I wouldn't get out of this one, I took of my short-sleeved shirt and tossed it aside. She came back into the room and rapidly pressed the tiny towel down on my healing injury. I didn't know why Hermione was making a bit fuss about it (not that I minded…). It was practically healed. She patted it softly and then placed an incredibly small amount of medicine on it. It didn't sting anymore, which was good.

"I can't believe you actually thought you could fly in this condition," she breathed as she rubbed a dry cotton ball on it.

"_What _condition?" I retorted and chuckled. "Mione look at it! The only thing that's left is the scar!"

"No, it's still a bit open," Hermione disagreed. "The medicine wouldn't dissipate that quickly if it weren't still open. But you have a point… It is getting extremely better-"

"Then there is no reason why I shouldn't be able to go flying," I defended. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes and got up form the couch. She placed the washcloth on the bedside table and took the medicine back into her bag.

"Er…Hermione?" I began.

"Hmm?" she responded and sat down next to me on the bed again.

"…Will you tell me again why you thought that we shouldn't be together?" I asked uneasily, afraid she'd walk away.

"It's sort of a long story," she replied. I shrugged and perched up on one elbow.

"I'm listening," I said. She bit her lower lip. I waited in anticipation.

"It's a story for another day," she responded and then slowly got up and began to walk out of my room.

"Wait, Hermione?" I called after her. She turned to look at me. I could see from the light from my lamp that her eyes were shining.

"Never mind," I sighed, disappointed in myself that I didn't tell her how I felt about her. She opened her mouth, about to say something, but she apparently let it go because she closed it and again commenced walking out of my room. When she exited, Harry entered.

"What happened?" he asked me. I sighed again and ran a hand through my hair.

"I asked her why we shouldn't be together and she said, 'It's sort of a long story,' and then I told her 'never mind,'" I replied.

"Well, were you planning on telling her that you still have feelings for her along the way?" he wondered and crossed his arms.

"I was going to, but…I got scared," I responded. His mouth opened and he looked at me in disbelief.

"Ron Weasley," he began. "How could you have possibly been scared?"

"The same reason you won't go talk to Ginny!" I replied.

"That's different-"

"Not really," I interrupted.

"Okay, promise me this, then," Harry began and stepped closer to me. "If you tell Hermione how you feel, then I'll talk to Ginny."

"But what if she doesn't feel the same way-"

"Oh Merlin-Ron! How can you be so stupid? Of course she feels the same way! Why else would she tend to you? (And, might I add that that cut could've been done with after an…hour if she used dittany). Why else would she come get you a gift with me? Why else would I leave you two alone?"

"…Because she's being nice?"

"…No, Ron," Harry said. "No. It's because she still likes you."

I smiled a small smile at Harry's words, wondering myself if they were true.

**Hermione's Point of View**

No, I never went downstairs. At least, not until Harry and Ron had finished their conversation. I had heard _everything_. I bit my lower lip and smiled to myself, finally knowing that he felt the same way…but what now? If I came out and told him that I still like him, again, he'd think I was confused or something. I guess I had to keep giving him hints. I exhaled. Oh boy.

Later that evening, I was in Ginny's room telling her all I had heard.

"But what if I don't _want_ to talk to Harry?" she retorted and crossed her arms.

"Gin, please, focus!" I commanded her. "What am I going to do?"

"You're going to bloody do what you bloody want to do," she replied. "If you want my opinion-"

"Yes…" I interjected.

"-Then I guess you have a good idea," she finished. "Just keep giving out hints. But, along the way, somewhere, he's going to wonder why you're acting different and ask questions."

"And I'll be ready to answer them," I replied proudly.

"That-a-girl!" Ginny cheered and then stood up from her bed and opened the door.

"Where are you going?" I wondered.

"I'm not going anywhere," Ginny responded. "You are."

"Where am_ I_ going, then?" I revised.

"You're going flying with Ron."

"…What? No, Ginny, I can't I'm terrified! I'll get sick-"

"No you won't, Mione," she disagreed. "This is a really good opportunity to show him how you feel. If you don't go out there with him, I'm not talking to Harry."

"That's ridiculous, Gin, you _have_ to talk-"

"And you_ have_ to fly with Ron," she interrupted and pushed me out of the door.

"Go get 'em," she whispered after she closed the door.

"What was that about?" I heard someone ask from above me. I turned to see Ron coming down the steps.

"Oh, nothing, Ginny being Ginny," I replied.

When neither of us said anything for a few moments, I spoke up.

"Um, I was thinking," I began, "maybe it is alright for you to go flying."

**Ron's Point of View**

Oh…um, okay then.

"Er…thanks," I replied awkwardly.

"Are you going to go now?" she wondered and inched closer to me.

"Oh, I guess so. Well, dinner's coming soon maybe I should wait-"

"Oh, no it's fine we'll get dinner somewhere else," she declared and began to push me down the stairs.

"'We'?" I asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I mean if you want me to come…you did earlier today," she replied. I furrowed my eyebrows. What was going on? But I didn't mind, really. I was just happy to know that she wanted to fly with me.

"Yeah, sure," I responded, "no, I'd be more that happy if you came."

"You would? Good," she said and smiled and we began walking down the steps again. We walked through the kitchen and then out to the broom shed. I took my new broom, and when she was about to grab another broom, I cleared my throat. She looked at me and I waved my pointer finger.

"Mm, m, m," I said. "No, you'll be riding with me today."

"But Ron that's-"

"No," I cut her off. "You haven't had enough experience riding alone. You'll need to be with someone."

A small smile was on her face as she walked over to me.

"Hop on," I said, ordering her for a change. She did with the smile still on her face.

"Now, Ron, be careful-" but I was already off the ground. She yelped and wrapped her arms tightly around me. I could see her look down at the ground that was now far away.

"R-Ron…" she stammered and hugged herself closer to me.

"Shh," I whispered quietly (and, might I add, the way I knew she liked). "Look up, Hermione." I felt her head on my back tilt, and she did. I heard her take in a small breath, and her grip on me loosened.

"Wow…" she exhaled. I smiled at this, and at what she did next. She took a hand away from my torso and reached up, running it through a cloud. When I began to turn and go down, she instantly placed her arm back around me.

The sky was the perfect shade of blue, and the stars twinkled amazingly. The moon was the only source of light I had except for the buildings underneath, but I wasn't paying attention to them.

Hermione had sighed calmly and hugged closer to me, placing her head on the tip of my shoulder. I heated a little from this, and smiled slightly. We soared over London for a while longer, and then I decided to turn back. We then entered upon Diagon Alley. We ordered some food and then ice cream from Florean's Fortescu; afterwards, going back to the burrow where we landed far out in the field. We decided to walk the rest of the way.

"That was incredible, Ron," she said. I shivered a little when she spoke my name different from the other words she had said.

"Yeah, yeah it was," I agreed.

"I'm glad you took me," she added. I nodded in the affirmative. We reached the broom shed, and as I was putting mine away, a little peck was placed on my cheek. I looked towards her, my heart beginning to race faster, but she just smiled and walked back into the house. I watched longingly as she did.

Wow. In all, today had been a pretty descent day.

A/N: HEY Y'ALL! Nice chapter, huh? No? Tell me what you thought! And I apologize for the confusion (Hah, no she didn't just change her mind from her and Ron sitting…there was more to the dream. Hahah that made me laugh). There will be more explanation in later chapters. I had this chapter in mind ever since I had the idea of this story. I indeed loved writing it. OH and in case some of you haven't noticed, the chapter titles are names of music pieces from soundtracks. I'll put them up on my profile soon. Anyways… Next chapter coming soon!


	5. At the Burrow

Tending to Him

Chapter 5: At the Burrow

"…So she snogged you?" Harry wondered as I sat up in my bed as he did in the one he was in across the room. I nodded my head and smiled.

"Okay, Ron, I-" he began again, but stopped. I looked over at him, confused.

"What?" I asked. He exhaled, but then breathed out quietly and shook his head.

"What?" I asked again, more loudly, which probably wasn't the best idea.

All he said to me before he turned out his light was, "I don't want to interfere. If you think she likes you, then just bloody ask her!"

No, Harry, I can't. Whenever you tell a girl you like her, it just makes you look like an idiot. But on the other hand…I've looked like an idiot before.

**Hermione's Point of View**

Ginny and I were still up talking and heard someone upstairs yell a loud, "What?"

We glanced towards the doorway, but just ignored it, guessing we'd find out sooner or later. I'd ask Ron or Harry about it in the morning.

"Anyways…" Ginny began again, "you actually rode with him! I can't believe that! Was it fun?"

"It was the most fun I've had in a long time Ginny," I replied and looked up at the ceiling, smiling to myself.

"Well, not as much fun you had after you snogged Ron at Hogwarts…" she mumbled under her breath. I looked over at her and scowled.

"No, Ginny, even more fun than that," I counted, "because, as you can see, we are not together anymore."

"Yeah, but when you were it was much fun," she responded. "And, you want to be with him again, so it don't pretend like you're all over it now back to where you were two years ago in sixth year!"

I sighed once more, and then switched off the small light in between where we were sleeping.

"We'll talk about that later," I said. "But I want to know more about you and Harry. We hardly ever talk about you two."

"That's because there is nothing to talk about," she answered quietly. I turned my head towards her.

"Ginny…what's going on?" I wondered.

"Nothing! Nothing is going on and it drives me _crazy_ to have my brother and best girl friend here with _their_ best friend that will do nothing what so ever about _anything_!"

"Ginny…" I started, "I think that's because he feels the same way you do."

"Oh, is that right? And how does he know how I feel?"

"I didn't say he knows how you feel, I'm saying I think he feels how you do. I mean, with anything else he's practically unstoppable when it comes to the dark arts, but when it comes to you, his wand twitches."

I saw her spin to face me slowly.

"You really think so?" she asked hesitantly.

I nodded, "The way I see things, at least. I know what happened between you and him a while ago was a mistake, but you have to realize he did it because he was afraid; he didn't want to hurt you. Not just physically as in Voldemort might injure you, but afraid he might hurt you if he…well, if he ended up dying."

When Ginny didn't answer, it occurred to me that she had never thought about my last statement. I knew if I stopped after the physically hurting part, she would just say something like, "Can't he see I can handle myself!" or such.

I was the one to break the silence by wishing her a goodnight sleep.

*StarStarStar*

The next morning, I had planned everything out the way this morning was should work.

Step 1: I would walk downstairs and sit at the breakfast table next to Ron.

Step 2: He would act a little flirty towards me because of my little kiss I gave him.

Step 3: I would most definitely act flirty back.

Step 4: I would excuse myself and ask Ron to join me outside.

Step 5: I would ask what happened between us last night.

Step 6: He would reply to the extent of something such as, "I don't know, you tell me."

Step 7: I would ask if he still has feelings for me.

Step 8: He would answer, and whether or not he says "yes," I will tell him how I truly feel, just to get it off my chest.

Yes, today would go pretty well.

...Correction, today would _not _go pretty well.

As it turns out, Harry had convinced Ron to go out and eat because he didn't want to eat breakfast by Ginny. Of course, I didn't tell her this. I did tell her my plan, though. She wondered why I couldn't tell him at night, and I told her I guess it could work out.

But again, it didn't. Ron and Harry were gone practically the whole day. Finally, when the sky was the darkest shade of blue, they returned.

"Where have you been?" I asked Ron after Harry had gone upstairs.

"Harry just…he's having some trouble so we went out so he could calm down-" I could tell he was a tad bit frightened.

"You know who's having some trouble? Me. _I'm_ the one who's having some trouble. So maybe you should come outside with _me_ and find out what I'm having trouble with instead of your best mate!" Then I stalked off to Ginny's room, leaving him confounded in the hallway.

… I wasn't too hard on him, was I?

A/N: This is a REALLY short chapter. Wow. And the next one is probably going to be as well, so sorry. Well, this is just the process to Hermione telling Ron what is _really_ on her mind. Hope you liked it! And the next chapter is coming soon! And THANK YOU SO MUCH for the reviews! Lurve it! Also…for all you Harry/Ginny lovahs, don't worry. Things are about to happen with them too. ;). Next chapter is coming soon!


	6. Fill My Heart

Tending to Him

Chapter 6: Fill My Heart

**Ron's Point of View**

What happened last night? Why was Hermione going crazy like she'd just gotten an "Acceptable" on her N.E.W.T.s?

Well, I didn't really want to go around the entire day thinking about that, so I let it pass and went down to the breakfast table. It was odd. Hermione hadn't been helping my cut all that much anymore. Not that it needed to be, but it would've been nice to get some more alone time with her. Maybe she knew it was healing rather quickly and decided that it didn't matter anymore. Or maybe she just didn't want to talk about what happened after our broom ride? Ugh. Women.

It was odd getting up and out of bed without Hermione being there. Even though she had only slept in my room once and had been in my room taking care of my injury a few times, it felt comfortable.

When I sat down next to her at the table for breakfast, she didn't even look at me. She actually turned her head away from me to look at practically nothing. I honestly felt a little hurt not knowing why she was acting this way and why she wouldn't tell me. Maybe I shouldn't have let go about what happened last night.

"Hermione-" I began after I ate four pancakes and three sausages, but she immediately got up and stalked out of the kitchen table after whispering, "May I be excused?" and not waiting for an answer. I looked after her, and before I knew what I was doing, I was hurrying after her out the door.

"Hermione? Wait! Where are you going? Why are you acting like this?" I called after her, but she never answered. All I saw her do from a distance away was hang her head, hug her arms to her chest, and keep walking away from me. I stopped after a while, and furrowed my eyebrows.

"Hermione…" I tried again softly, but she probably didn't hear me. That, or she just acted like she had been.

"What's wrong?" I heard a voice behind me ask. I saw George come up to me, and then he looked where I was looking.

"Okay, I'm confused," he said. "I thought you weren't with her anymore…"

"That doesn't mean she doesn't fill my heart anymore," I replied quietly, knowing I'd get teased for saying that.

Hmm…I was wrong. All he did was laugh hysterically. So hard, in fact, that he had to use me for support to stay standing. When his full weight was on me and when he had closed his eyes, I took a step back and he went crashing down to the floor. Yeah, it's my turn to laugh now, Georgie.

What made it funnier was that he had begun to laugh even harder, which I didn't know was possible. I joined him again and somewhere along the way, he tripped me and I fell on my side next to him, laughing away.

"Having fun, are you?" we both heard someone say above us. I opened my eyes and up on my elbows as I looked up at who was standing over me and my brother.

My smile immediately vanished and I hurried to a standing position and said, "Hermione-"

"Don't worry," she interrupted. "I don't want to intrude in your amusement."

She began to walk back to the burrow before I took her arm and spun her back around.

"What is up with you?" I projected even though her face was right in front of mine. "You've been ignoring everything I say, and I don't know what I did to make you act like this, so before you say anything-" I said and covered her mouth as if she was going to say something-"I'm _sorry_!"

"You know," she said once I released her, "maybe you could ask what's wrong before you go making assumptions."

"Okay, one, what assumptions? And two, I _did_, Mione. I did, but, as I said, you didn't listen."

She then frowned, and her eyes were beginning to shine. I exhaled; mad at myself for talking to her like that.

"I'm sorry," I apologized again quietly. She shook her head.

"No, I am," she replied. "I was stupid to act the way I did. I was just mad because it seemed like you were…spending too much time with Harry."

She said the last part slowly, and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" I wondered softly. Then, I realized something. I looked down at the ground, and found George staring up at us with wide, red eyes. He had laughed so hard, he cried. Hermione followed my gaze and her eyebrows inclined.

"Oh, you guys go on, pretend like I'm not here," he said. After a few silent moments, I heaved him off the ground and threw him in the direction of the house. I could see Hermione smile a small smile as I did this, but it vanished once I turned back to her.

"Why don't we talk about this over there?" I suggested as we began to move slowly away form the house towards the chicken coup.

A/N: Whew! All Ron, all the time, eh? I told you this chapter would be short, guys. The next one will be my average length (maybe) so…yeah there'll be a lot of…stuff in the next one so…don't worry! Oh my. Next chapter coming soon!


	7. The Friends

Tending to Him

Chapter 7: The Friends

Hermione looked up at me and smiled briefly, laughing at my suggestion to visit the chicken coup as we talk about our problems. Whew. Good. She was easing up to me again.

"What? You have a better suggestion? The garden with the gnomes? I think not," I joked. She giggled slightly as I leaned against a pen and crossed my arms over my chest.

"So you want me to spend more time with you? Here I am."

"Yeah, there you are," she laughed right before one of the pens broke and I collapsed down with all of the chickens, which made her laugh more. I rubbed my head and then chuckled along with her as I sat up next to her. The chickens were going wild. I placed the pen back up, trying not to notice the dent in it.

"Well, how's your cut? I haven't checked on it in a while," she said as she began to unbutton the top few buttons. I felt my face heat up again like it hadn't in a few days. It felt embarrassing, but also good. She didn't notice, though. She checked my cut, and found just a scar there. She pressed on it lightly.

"That doesn't hurt, does it?" she wondered. I shook my head.

"Have you found it hurting at all recently?" I shook my head again.

"Well good," she said. I don't think she noticed, but her hands were set on the closed button on my shirt. I felt her fingers slightly moved back and forth against my skin. When I looked down at them and then at her, she smiled slightly. After a few seconds of staring into her eyes, I began to heat up again and I looked away and took her hands off of my shirt. Then I adjusted so that she wasn't sitting higher than I was anymore. She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"You know what I think you are, Ron?" she asked. I raised my eyebrows as a response. She then bent over the little wire fence and picked up a chicken and held it at me. I laughed at it softly, but the chicken squawked unnaturally awkwardly, and I jumped at that and stopped laughing immediately as if the chicken was my mother. She giggled and placed the chicken back in the pen and then faced me again. I opened my mouth to say something, but I halted once I heard something outside.

"What's that?" she asked, hearing it as well. I didn't answer, but I offered her a hand. She took it and then we both walked outside the coup. Four brooms with riders on them had come upon the field outside of my house. They looked toward the two of us.

"Hey, Ron, Hermione!" a familiar voice called, and I made it out to be Seamus. Beside him were the others, Dean, Neville, and Luna. Then, they four of them looked down at something in between the two of us. We followed their eyes and noticed our hands were still joined. We immediately separated.

After a few moments of silence, and them smirking at the two of us, we walked over to them and began to walk to the burrow.

"I thought you guys…" Neville started.

"We still are," Hermione answered straight away.

"It doesn't like that," Dean said and chuckled mischievously.

**Hermione's Point of View**

"Where's everyone else? Harry and Ginny?" Luna asked as she walked besides Neville and Seamus.

"They're inside," I answered.

"But probably in different rooms," Ron adjoined. "They haven't really spoken to each other ever since we got here."

"It's so obvious how they feel about each other though," Seamus muttered as we entered the house. Everyone nodded.

"Hey, I kind of forgot to ask this earlier," I started, "but why are you guys here?"

"It's summer," Dean replied. "Why not?"

"Besides, what else are you guys doing? I mean honestly, besides what you were doing in _there_," Seamus teased and gestured towards the chicken coup.

"We were just talking," Ron answered.

"In a chicken coup," he said again.

"I told you it was weird to talk in a chicken coup," I whispered to Ron.

"When?" he defended and chuckled. I nudged him slightly. He laughed.

"Harry, Ginny, come down here!" he called up to the two. Harry was the first to come down, and after a minute passed of him being reunited with his friends, Ginny came down as well. She smiled when she saw everyone and then immediately greeted each one.

"What are all you guys doing here?" Harry wondered after Ginny had said, "Hi," to all of them.

"We just wanted to visit," Dean said and glanced over at Ginny, smiling. This made me... hesitant.

"So…it's about eleven," Neville started.

"Why, thank you for informing us of that important knowledge," Ginny said sarcastically.

"He didn't finish," Seamus said.

"He brought something," Luna added. "A bottle."

At first, by the look Ron gave me, we both thought that it was just Luna being Luna, about to say something about a "magical bottle." However, Neville took out a bottle from his back pocket and held it out.

Mine, Ron, Harry's eyes went wide.

"Neville!" I shrieked quietly.

"No, Hermione, don't ruin our fun _again_!" he pouted. I crossed my arms as everyone chuckled.

"Once we finish it," Dean started, "we'll play a game. You know what game I'm talking about?"

"Neville," Ginny laughed. "I didn't know you could be so bad."

Ron went wide-eyed and he mumbled, "If my mum finds out-"

"Ron!" I interrupted, "do I have to go all the way to the chicken coup again, put a chicken in your face, have you jump like a little girl, put it back, and walk all the way back here because you're afraid of what your mum will say?"

Everyone was frozen looking at me.

"…What?" I wondered.

"Well, Ron," Seamus started, "it seems as though _Hermione_ isn't even going to spoil our fun. Will you?"

Ron sighed, giving in, and he shook his head.

"What's all this?" we all heard a voice say from behind us. Neville immediately placed the bottle of firewhisky behind his back as we all turned to Arthur Weasley.

"Oh, dad," Ginny started, "Seamus, Neville, Luna, and Dean came down for a visit."

"Oh, okay," Arthur said. "I wish I would've heard sooner. Your mother and I were going to go out to this festival and not be back for a while-"

"Oh, it's alright," I stepped in, surprisingly. "You go right ahead. I'll keep these blokes under control."

"Well, if Hermione says it's alright, then alright," Mr. Weasley said and began to walk out of the door. "We'll be back by eleven thirty or so."

The eight of us then stood listening for the engine of the flying car to turn on. Once it did, and once we heard the sound travel away, we all smirked at each other, except for Harry.

"Er…I think I'm going to pass," he said and headed up the stairs until Neville and Seamus caught him.

"Oh, no you don't, buddy," they said. "It's all of us or nothing."

"Uh…" Harry said again and cringed as they lead him to the circle we had made on the floor of the living room, moving the furniture back father apart.

"Wait!" Dean realized. "We're missing one VERY important part of firewhisky and game-ness! Where's you brother?"

"I'm right here," we heard George say powerfully from the living room entrance. He sat down beside Seamus and an uncertain Harry. He looked across to me and I smiled shortly before turning back to George.

"I can't believe you guys forgot about me," he said and pretended to cry.

"We didn't," Dean replied. "I called you didn't I?"

"So, what are we doing first?" Luna wondered.

"Okay," Dean started. "Someone spins, and the person who it lands on has to take a sip-"

"And answer a truth question unless the person says they want a dare!" Seamus finished.

"Exactly!" Dean exclaimed. "So, who's up first?"

"Did you really have to ask that question?" George laughed. My heart started to pound as the game began, and I was afraid Ron could hear it next to me.

The bottle twirled round and around, slowing down when it came to Dean…Luna…Neville…Ginny.

"Oh, Merlin," Ginny whined. "Why _him_?"

George smirked devilishly rubbing his hands together.

"I hoped it would land on you, baby sister," he cackled as he watched Ginny open the bottle and take a sip of the drink.

"Okay, lets get this over with," Ginny sighed and closed her eyes momentarily.

"Mmm…alright. I have one. Maybe you'd prefer the dare instead-" George taunted.

"No way," intruded Ginny. "Not falling for it."

"Okay…it's your choice. Are you ready?"

Ginny exhaled long and slow before she nodded.

"Who was a better kisser: Harry or Dean?"

Ginny's eyes went wide, as did Harry and Dean's. But that wasn't all.

"And _why_."

"Oh, kill me!" Ginny whispered to the ceiling. Everyone was chuckling, looking at Ginny in anticipation.

"Can I leave _now_?" Harry wondered, beginning to get up, but Seamus pulled him back down and laughed. Ginny noticed this, and she then went into a thinking stage, as I suspected, and when she did this, so did I.

"Not yet. I'm anxious to hear this one," he said.

"Um…well," Ginny began. Everyone was leaning in towards her.

"Can I answer this later?" Ginny wondered.

"Bloody hell, no!" George answered immediately. "Now!"

"Okay! Okay!" she sighed. I could see she was struggling. Then, she looked towards me. I shrugged, not knowing what to do to reassure her. She looked back at everyone, and then down at her hands in her lap.

"Llllll," she whispered almost inaudibly.

"Sorry?" George asked. "I didn't quite understand you Miss-"

"Dean! OKAY? Dean!" Everyone roared with laughter while Harry sat with his mouth agape and while Dean was getting pats on the back.

Harry then stood up.

"Oh, really? Well fine, then, Ms. Ginny Weasley," Harry said jokingly, but I could sense an edge to it. Then, he exited the room and walked out quickly. I had half a mind to follow him, but Ginny was already doing that. Hmm…was Ginny planning this?

**Ron's Point of View**

"That. Is. Disgusting," I said and had an "ew" look on my face. Hermione laughed.

"But now, I guess I have to go get them," I sighed and stood up.

"I'll come too," Hermione said.

"Wait, you can't leave now!" Luna called after us.

"We're just going to get them," Hermione responded. "We'll be right back."

We walked out of the house, and followed the voice of Ginny calling Harry's name. I put my pointer finger up to my mouth telling Hermione to keep quiet. We snuck around the house and looked around the corner off to the gnome garden.

"Harry!" Ginny called one last time.

"Ginny!" Harry responded. "Haven't talked to you in a while."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly what I said," Harry replied. Sensing that a fight was coming on, Hermione and I walked out from behind the corner and to the garden where the two were standing yelling at each other.

"Hey, guys? Should we go back to the game?" I suggested.

"Don't blame this on me!" Ginny shouted back to Harry, ignoring me.

"Oh, I'm not," Harry replied, just as loud. "I'm just upset that you kept avoiding me the whole time I've been here!"

"Don't yell at my sister!" I shot out at Harry, even though he seemed to not have heard me at all.

"_Me_ avoiding _you_? You were avoiding me!" Ginny spat back at my best mate.

"And you think Dean is a better kisser than me? Fine."

"I don't think that Harry, you know I don't." Ginny was becoming more at ease.

"Then why'd you say it? Why'd you cause all that trouble?" Harry roared back at her, and I knew Ginny's anger rose again.

"So I couldn't actually TALK TO YOU!" she shouted back at him as her face began to burn.

"Just to talk to me Ginny?"

"Yes! Just to talk to you!"

"Well, we've talked enough!" Harry spat at her between his teeth, and before I knew it, I was in a very awkward situation…even more awkward because Hermione was standing right next to me.

The two were tight in each other's arms snogging outrageously and passionately.

"…Don't touch my sister that way!" I said, even though they were still probably blocking out the sound of my voice.

"Don't touch my best friend that way!" Hermione said to Ginny, looking disgusted. I held back a laugh.

"Come on! Let's go, guys," I commanded everyone, but they stayed in the exact same position they were in. Ginny was off the ground now.

"Okay, I've had enough of this," I said to Hermione after another few moments of staring at the two with a disturbing look on my face. Hermione agreed and walked back with me to the house again.

"Where did the two blokes go?" George teased as we entered the circle again.

"…Snog fest," I whispered, and before him, or Dean especially, could say anything more, I asked, "Who's turn is it to spin?"

"Well it would've been Ginny's," Seamus said, "but now I guess the only fair way is for George to spin it, and whoever it lands on, spins it."

We all accepted that way of picking who will spin next. George twirled the bottle, and it landed on Neville, which ended up getting a few chuckles.

Neville looked up at everyone hesitantly, but turned the bottle rapidly. It landed on me.

**Hermione's Point of View**

I laughed, knowing Ron was thankful inside for getting Neville out of everyone else here.

Neville stuttered before he begun, most likely trying to think of something a bit extreme, but finally asked, "What do you think about the most? And you know what I'm relating this question to. Also, what do you think about doing with this so called 'thing you think about most'?"

…What?

Everybody was staring at Neville as if they had just seen Merlin come before them and granted them long lasting life because of their hair.

I gazed at Neville just as they did.

I bit my lower lip (unaware I had done so) and looked at Ron. He was staring at Neville also, but then he looked down at me. When he noticed that I was looking back, he quickly snapped his head forward again.

"Well, Ron?" Dean spoke up, "if you don't answer soon, we're going to assume that little motion right there was something."

I saw Ron glance at his older brother, who waved his eyebrows with a devilish smirk on his lips, and then at me.

"Well assume all you want," Ron finally answered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Neville demanded. "We're not done here! Answer!"

Luna, who had not spoken up hardly the whole time, asked, "Is there something going on between you two? Something we don't know about? My dad once told me if one doesn't answer right away to a question like 'Do you love her,' and then looks at who he or she loves, it's as good as saying 'yes.'"

A/N: ooOOOHHhh! Sort of cliffhanger-ish. Well, which truth question did y'all like best? I know my answer (heheh). Well, anyways, that chapter would've been LONG if I had posted the last one with this one. Whew! Next chapter coming soon!


	8. Not So Fireproof

Tending to Him

Chapter 8: Not So Fireproof

**Ron's Point of View**

I tried my best not to look back at Hermione, but I had to know how she was looking at me. I only glanced at her for a brief second, but that may have not been the best move. More giggles and devilish smirks appeared on people's faces.

"Well go on," Neville encouraged after Luna's words. "We already know you do, so you might as well say it."

I hesitated again, trying to figure out what to say. I wanted to talk with Hermione and admit that I still had feelings for her alone, not in front of other friends.

"Well, what if it _doesn't_ mean anything?" I shot back, trying not to sound too aggressive.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I heard a soft voice beside me say, and I immediately regretted my words I had said earlier. I instantly looked down at Hermione, and I felt my cheeks red as I heard, "oohs," from around us.

"Hermi-" I started to say, but she was already heading towards the doorway.

"Why is everyone leaving?" I heard someone whisper, but I could care less. I caught up with Hermione, who passed Harry and Ginny walking in, who were hiding smiles and embarrassment. I stopped as they passed me, as did they.

They looked at me as if nothing had changed, and after staring at them (still remembering what I had seen earlier) for another moment, I continued to follow Hermione into the garden.

"Hermione, wait!" I called. This is the second time I've had to call and chase after her today.

She didn't turn. Her head was down, and her arms were crossed in front of her chest. I jogged to catch up with her again, still calling her name.

"Hermione! Please, wait!"

She halted abruptly, and when she did, I did. I waited for her to turn, or show any sign that she was listening. I was about to speak when she spun around and stalked over to me muttering between her teeth, "Why do I keep running away? Why do I think that that's going to solve everything? Why do you make me like this?"

She was hitting my chest as she spoke each sentence (away from my cut), but I could tell she wasn't using all of her strength…that last one did hurt a bit though.

"What am I making you like, Mione?" I wondered after she stopped pounding on me. She held her head down, looking at her arms pressed against me. I didn't know what to feel now. I thought it would be exhilarating for her to be up against me, but the way she was feeling made me uncertain.

After she didn't answer again, I took my hand and tilted her chin so that I could see her beautiful eyes. They were beginning to get red.

"You make me mad, Ron," she whispered. For a second, I thought she meant mad as in literally crazy, but then I figured out what she was really trying to say after she added, "I try to have everything perfect just when you glance at me. When I found out that you had that cut, I used it as an excuse to be closer and alone with you. And now, I'm out here because, partly, I want to tell you something I should've told you when we first got here."

I felt my face heat up as if it were on fire. I wanted to say something; I wanted to tell her I felt the same way. No, I needed to tell her.

"I'm sorry about what I said in there," I quickly put in before she could say anything. "I just, I didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell them how I felt. Those words are kept for you."

"What are you saying?" she inquired, beginning to breathe unevenly.

"I'm saying I feel exactly the same way you do." I took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, realizing I finally got it out. But that wasn't all.

"You, also, 'make me mad,' Hermione."

"Ron, now I don't know what to say," she breathed.

"Then don't say anything." My hands, which I didn't know were on her back, pulled her forward until her lips were on mine. Our eyes were still open a few seconds in, almost forgetting the enormous satisfaction and euphoria of what it had been like to have each other's lips on the other. Then, I pulled away, not taking my eyes off of hers, and back away a couple of steps. She was gaping at me, and the expression on her face was a mixture of surprise and, what I thought, almost enjoyment.

I smiled faintly at her, telling her silently that I felt that way too, and then I walked inside the house and joined everyone on the floor again.

"Where's Hermione? What happened out there?" Harry wondered, who was now sitting next to Ginny. I looked between them, grimaced, and then replied shortly.

"I don't know." And I really didn't know.

"Well, you have yet to answer the truth question, mate," Seamus teased and laughed, and the rest of the people around the circle joined.

"Neither did Ginny!" I defended, sitting up straighter now. Thankfully, everyone's attention was turned to Ginny now, and I briefly looked towards the door. Hermione still wasn't in sight.

"What? No!" Ginny argued and backed away from the eager crowd. They didn't say anything, so Ginny just continued with, "Isn't it obvious?"

Everyone shook his or her head, me included.

"You know what, if you can't figure it out, then I'm not telling you," she said and crossed her arms over her chest. Then she added, "I'm not easy to figure out like Ron."

Their heads then turned to me.

" 'Easy to figure out'?" I repeated.

"The easiest," my sister added on, just to make me annoyed. I rolled my eyes.

"Right."

"I bet I could answer Neville's question_ for_ you," she threatened. I shook my head, sure in my head that she could definitely not do that-

"First," she began, not waiting for me to respond, "he was obviously thinking about Hermione. But what was he thinking of _doing_ with Hermione? Hmm… I have some ideas."

My head snapped up to her as she began to pace around the furniture.

"Knowing Ron, he'd probably be in a house. Maybe. Actually, now that I think about it, he'll be in a hotel with her. And where is she? In the kitchen, making him an ice cream sunday."

This caught a few chortles from around the circle, and after they died out, Ginny continued, even though I would've really liked her not to.

"She has just finished making it, and takes it out to him. He's, of course, on the large couch, lounging away. He looks up at her and smirks when he sees her, and at the treat she's holding. She looks at him the same way and sits down on his lap. Then, pretending it to be accidental, she 'spills part of the sunday' on her robe. She then takes her robe off, revealing what he would like to be revealed. But, there was some ice cream that had slipped through her robe. They give each other devilish smirks before he l-"

"Okay, Ginny! That's quite enough!" I intervened, hoping no one would mind my scarlet face. Everyone around the circle laughed and began to murmur quietly to one and other.

"…And then he licks it off her," Ginny finished quickly before I threw a pillow at her, silencing her, which caused more laughter. She caught it and threw it back at me. Then, we all heard a voice coming from the doorway.

"I can see why you did that to intimidate Ron," Hermione began, walking over to me and sitting down right next to me (not ignoring my red face), "but why'd you have to bring me into it?"

"Welcome back," Ginny said sarcastically, and then said, "Because he would be thinking about you. His face proves it."

"Ginny if you said that sort of story about anybody with anybody else, the poor bloke who you said it to would look just like him," George said and snickered again at Ron's face.

"Where were you anyways?" Luna wondered from next to Neville.

"I just wanted some time alone for a moment," Hermione answered, not giving away anything.

"Obviously," Seamus muttered under his breath, who was knuckle-bumped by Dean.

"Well, it looks as though you're not going to give away anything more," Neville concluded and continued with, "Ron, shall you spin?"

I nodded my head in the affirmative, and twisted the bottle.

It spun around from person to person: Hermione… George… Harry… Ginny… Seamus… Dean… Luna… Hermione.

My eyes widened, and I turned my head slowly down at the girl sitting next to me. Her eyes were also widened, but she seemed to be a lot calmer than I was. She then gave me a certain worried look, like she didn't want people to know what happened outside. Or maybe, she didn't want me to dare her to do something that would give us away? Or…or what? And then I got it.

"…I have no idea-" I began, but then she cleared her throat.

"I'll take a dare," she announced after taking a large swig of firewhisky.

Everyone's mouth dropped to the ground, including mine.

"Hermio-" I began uneasily, but she shook her head, silencing me.

"I am sure, Ron," she said, emphasizing my name and replying to me as if she knew what I was thinking. "Now man up, and give me a dare."

I looked away from her piercing glare to Harry, who was just as surprised as I was.

"Er… Harry-converse!" I sputtered out and was on my feet in an instant, pulling Harry up from the ground and taking him into the corner of the room.

"What do I do?" I asked helplessly.

"You dare her," Harry responded as if nothing was changed.

"_What_ do I dare her to do, mate? _What_?" I asked panic-y.

"What do you want her to do?" Harry wondered, now beginning to become a tad more serious.

I raised an eyebrow. Wow, Harry. You really needed to ask that question?

"Okay, well if you want her to snog you, then dare her to snog you!" he said, obviously "catching my drift."

"I can't!" I disagreed, still worried and anxious. " Then everyone will know I like her!"

"Ron. Everyone knows you like her," Harry answered, a plain, unimpressed look on his face.

"Still! I don't want her to snog me on a dare! That's not right," I added quietly.

"Are you two done?" George called from the circle, staring up at Harry and me looking annoyed. Neither of us answered, but turned back to each other.

"Not if it's _not_ you that dares her," Harry whispered, and without another word, he was heading back to the circle. I thought about what he said, and finally, I walked back and sat next to Hermione.

"So, do tell what you intend for Hermione to do," Dean said as everybody leaned in towards me.

"I-I…" I stammered, but then I got a hold of myself. I knew what I was going to do.

"I dare Hermione to do whatever Harry dares her to do," I finished slowly. I looked around at each of their faces, confused as ever.

"You want me," Hermione began, "to do whatever Harry wants me to do? So you're letting him dare me instead of you."

"…It sounds bad when you say it like that," I said and scrunched my nose, displeased with myself. Then, everybody looked at Harry. He was shaking his head, most likely feeling the same way I was.

"Hermione, you do what you want to do with Ron. Just kiss! You both know you want to," Harry finished.

Harry, you are going to pay for that. I never exactly _agreed_ to what you said before we both sat down.

"No! Harry!" Ginny argued. "This is a chance to make it steamy. So make it steamy!"

No, Harry. No. Do not let her change your mind. A kiss is enough! Oh no, Harry, don't start smiling…

I should've known this would end badly.

Harry's plain face then became devilish at my sister's words, and he looked up at me and shrugged.

"Sorry, but she made me," was all he said before he continued to add on to the dare. I almost couldn't bear to listen at what he had to say, and I couldn't even imagine how Hermione was looking now. I shut my eyes closed, afraid that this next sentence may cause me physical pain.

"Why don't you act out Ginny's impression of Ron's daydream? Or at least lick something off of each other."

…I'd take the physical pain right now.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, outraged, but I could see the smile she was trying to hide. This made me need to hide a smile.

"I'll get the honey!" George announced and dashed into the kitchen, yelling along the way, "They can't act out the daydream, no one else is there!"

I shook my head at Harry and said, "Really, mate?"

He just laughed and returned, "Just don't get too into it. Some things we don't need to see."

Ginny giggled and nodded along with him, making sure it was very clear that we wouldn't get too passionate.

"I can't believe you just said that," Hermione admitted, still gazing at Harry.

"So you're not going through with it?" Harry asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh no,_ I_ will, I'm just not sure about _him_," Hermione responded and looked up at me.

I rolled my eyes and then bent down to her ear so that only she would hear, "Oh really? You'll be sorry you just said that."

Once I brought my face back in front of hers, she was looking up at me as if she was replying silently "It's on," and it took all of my strength not to kiss her right then and there.

George came back into the room and tossed the honey back and forth in his hands, grinning as if my life was about to end because of embarrassment.

"Okay, Ronny, here's the honey," he said and held it up in his hand showing everybody. All of their stares became smirks, and my heart was racing with excitement.

I then slipped my shirt off over my head and I threw it to the side.

**Hermione's Point of View**

A shiver was immediately sent down my spine, and goose bumps appeared all over my body arms. I had seen him topless plenty of times with his cut and all (the scar was still there), but not with other people around; not with people seeing my crimson face.

He crossed his arms over his muscular chest and looked at me.

"Who's licking?" Neville asked while he looked between Ron and me.

"Hermione," Luna answered immediately. "Only Merlin knows that Ron wouldn't be able to control himself."

Ron and I both looked down at Luna. I placed my hands on my hips. Everyone else snickered.

"I agree with Luna," Seamus and Dean said in unison, laughing quietly.

"I second that," Neville adjoined.

"Me too," Harry affixed as well. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, Ron probably wouldn't be able to control himself," he defended when he saw my glare.

"He might not even be able to control himself now," Ginny muttered quietly, getting more chuckles and giggles from others. George then stalked over to Ron and my attention was drawn to them.

"Get on the couch, lover-boy," he ordered his younger brother, but he didn't give him enough time to answer, so he just pushed him down. Then, he opened the honey jar and poured some all across his upper chest and shoulders.

"That's quite a lot, Georgie," Ginny said and laughed lightly once.

"Mione can handle it," George said and resumed his position in the circle.

_I don't know… I can get pretty carried away too. Especially when it comes to Ron…_ I thought, but it escaped me soon when I looked at Ron's face. He was already blushing, which made me blush more. I shook my head and slowly sat down on the couch, not taking my eyes off of him.

_Okay, calm down, Hermione. Ger you game face on. _

I did. I raised my eyebrows as if this was no big deal, and then I looked at Ron. I adjusted myself so that I was easily hovering over him and crawling up above his chest. His eyes had widened, and that caused some laughter. Oh, this was going to be fun.

Humiliating, but fun.

I then gave him a reassuring smile, and his chest was moving up and down at a close to normal and steady pace, so I assumed he was feeling a tiny bit better. I then lowered my head so that my lips were right above his chest, and then I stuck my tongue out and licked up the first bit of honey, closing my eyes in the process.

**Ron's Point of View**

A moan escaped my lips and I felt a smile on Hermione's. Oh no. I knew by the end of the time she had licked away all that honey, there was a slight chance that I might be snogging her senseless.

Okay, a huge chance.

Oh her lips and her tongue…OH! That felt good. I shivered and watched her with content eyes. When she moved up my chest up my neck, I had to grip the sides of the couch; oh I almost couldn't take it.

My head was tilted back so her soft licks could run up my neck easily, and my breathing was becoming increasingly uneven; not that it was ever steady ever since she had straddled me.

She then moved on to my shoulders as she lightly stroked the parts of my chest that she had already licked.

"I have to admit, I didn't expect something that…_sexy_ from Hermione," someone said.

Oh yeah, there were other people here, too.

I recognized the voice to be Dean. He'd get it later.

Hermione obviously didn't hear what he had said, and soon after I focused back on her, I almost forgot about it.

My eyes had closed somewhere along the way. Apparently, George had managed to slip some sweet honey by my ear on my upper next. He knew I was immensely ticklish there. When Hermione got there and took the stick away gently, I had to grip the couch harder to not expose my tickle-ish-ness.

This caused more laughter, and I was brought back to reality.

Soon after, Seamus whispered, "Oh sweet Merlin. Why can't a girl do that to me?"

"I know," Neville agreed and sighed longingly.

My eyes fluttered open and my eyes were staring right into Hermione's.

"You know, there's still some honey around here," she said provocatively and licked her lips.

She didn't have to ask twice. I released one of my hands from the couch, took a loose strand of hair, and tucked it behind her ear. We were both nearing each other, the other's stares on the other's lips. Finally, we were less than a breath away from kissing, but some git spoke up.

"Oi! Save that for when you're alone," George called loudly, making sure that he caught our attention. My face became even redder, if that was possible, as I sat up and as Hermione adjusted herself next to me on the couch (giving distance between us, I might add. Good. If she were still on me I probably would've kissed her despite what George said).

"You had your fun," George continued. "Now, Hermione, spin."

Hermione and I took a seat on the floor again and with a quick flick of her wrist, the bottle twirled. I looked up at the people stationed around the living room again. They were not paying attention to the bottle at all. They were still looking at Hermione and me with surprised faces.

"What?" I wondered. They didn't answer. I rolled my eyes and continued, "That was the dare, and the dare is now done."

Everybody sighed simultaneously, which was weird, and focused back on the bottle, which had landed on Harry.

A/N: WHEW! That was quite a ride, huh? Tell me what you thought about it! And thank you to all who are! This chapter took a while to process…but I finally made it! New chapter coming soon!


	9. One Day

Tending to Him

Chapter 9: One Day

Harry raised his eyebrows and looked up at Hermione once he saw that the bottle had landed on him. He sighed and took a sip.

"Okay, Harry, I just have one little question for you," Hermione started, making her look intimidating. Harry then began to get scared. I could see it in his eyes.

"Is Ginny still a virgin?"

My head snapped to Harry. It was almost as if he was trying to run away from all of our stares. Oh no. Harry if you did anything to my sister-

"I don't know," Harry replied. My eyebrows inclined. What did he mean, "I don't know"?

"Do explain," Hermione requested and looked in between a nervous looking Harry and Ginny.

"I don't see how she couldn't be," Harry replied more strongly now. "We were gone just about the whole year…and I hadn't actually had a conversation with her until today."

"You don't need to have a conversation to do it, mate," Seamus snickered who was joined by his best friend.

"But we weren't on speaking terms, is what I'm saying," he elucidated. "But I don't know, she could be, but not by me. Ask Dean."

Everyone's head spun to face Dean, and I was grinding my teeth together.

"Well?" George asked sternly apparently just as concerned as I was.

"I-We…No. I mean, yes! I mean… We didn't do anything!" he finished after a long stutter. Everyone seemed to relax just a bit.

"Alright, go on and spin, Harry," Hermione ordered. Harry took the bottle and it twirled around a few times before it stopped in front of Luna.

"Uh…" Harry began. I chuckled. Yeah, I wouldn't know what to say if the bottle landed on Luna, either.

"Oh, I'll take a dare, Harry," Luna replied and smiled faintly up at him.

"You…you will?" Harry asked, confused.

Luna nodded and said, "It'll be too much of a hassle to come up with something to ask me."

Harry then nodded once and said, "A dare might be quite a bit of a hassle, too."

"Oh, just let me to do this, or to do that. It doesn't really matter," she said.

"Okay, how about you-"

"Oh, dear," she interrupted after she looked down at her watch.

"I must be going. Sorry I didn't get to do the dare!"

And with that, she opened the bottle quickly and took a quick sip, closed it, spun it, and ran out of the house.

Hermione… Ron… Seamus… Dean… George… Harry… Ginny…

It finally halted when it landed before Ginny. Then, like before, she spun it, and whomever it landed on would answer a truth question to her.

It stopped in front of Harry.

Oh no. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like this…

Ginny smiled at my best mate sitting next to her, as did he to her.

"I'll take a dare," Harry mumbled, as if it were only for her to hear.

HAH. He obviously didn't know my sister.

"Okay," Ginny smiled and repositioned herself on her knees so that she was looking down at him. "I dare you to let me kiss you."

"You didn't have to dare me to get that," Harry whispered with his lips barely against my sister's.

…I obviously didn't know my sister. Uh, _why_ didn't she come up with something devious?

I had an "eck" look on my face again the last time the truth question came up that had to deal with them kissing. Hermione saw my expression and giggled.

And then the two of them had their lips pressed against the other's. They were moving slowly and passionately. Ginny's hands were placed at the back of Harry's head, messing with his hair. One of Harry's hands was on her back while the other one slid down her leg and rested at her thigh.

It all made me sick.

A moan escaped Ginny when her mouth and Harry's mouth had opened, each taking in as much as they could get from the other in the situation they were in. No. They wouldn't do anything too extreme in front of all of us… would they?

No. Because the ring of a doorbell broke the awkward silence that only lips smacking filled. My head snapped to the door and I grabbed my shirt and pulled it over my head and walked over to the door with Hermione right on my tail. Harry and Ginny had stopped snogging, and Dean, Neville, and Seamus had all said their goodbyes quickly, and apparated. I saw out of the window that they had apparated to their brooms, and then they were off. Then, I opened the door.

"Andromeda?" Harry was the one to inquire to why she was here. Harry then got up and walked over to the door.

"Hello, Harry," Andromeda greeted and smiled warmly to him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he replied. "Can we help you with something?"

"Oh, yes, actually," she began and stepped aside so that they could see Harry's godson.

"I have to work today and I know it's ridiculous that I came here, but I was wondering if it was possible if you could watch-"

"Oh, of course! It's not ridiculous at all! I'd love to," Harry agreed willingly with a large smile on his face.

"Oh, thank you so much, Harry," Andromeda said and picked up Teddy, placing him in his godfather's arms.

"I'll be back around eleven," Andromeda said. "And again, I'm terribly sorry about the sudden notice-"

"Don't worry about it," Harry reassured.

"Thank you," Andromeda thanked one last time before apparating on the spot. Ginny was now standing next to Harry and smiling down at the little guy who was staring back up at her with large eyes. His hair had turned pink.

"Why don't we take him outside?" Ginny wondered. "It's a beautiful day."

"Alright," Harry said and nodded his head as he walked outside of the house. I closed the door behind him and then focused on the girl standing next to me. She was smirking up at me. I felt my face fire up, and I tried to smile back down at her.

"You two have fun," George said, surprising me so much I jumped a little bit.

"If anyone asks, I've gone out," he called to Hermione and me as he walked outside and grabbed a broom and flew into the sky on it.

Finally. Alone.

I looked down at Hermione again. Once she saw that I had seen her, she sauntered off into the kitchen. I pursued her and found her getting some food out.

"What are you making?" I wondered as I stood behind her, beginning to stroke her arms. As I did, I felt little bumps form on them.

"A sandwich," she responded. "We didn't have lunch yet."

"Mmm, I think you might've when you licked all that honey off of me," I murmured in her ear, and before I knew what I was doing, I was pressing my lips softly on her earlobe and down her neck. I felt her skin become a little warmer as I did. She continued making lunch as if I was doing nothing. Well, she _tried_ to make it seem that way.

"By the way," I continued, "there's still some more."

She giggled and bit her bottom lip as I sustained down her neck and her left shoulder. Then she spun to me, cutting me off.

"Maybe I'll get it when you eat your lunch," she played along.

"Well I guess that means I have to make it fast then?"

"I guess so."

She walked off to the table while I turned back to the sandwich and folded it messily. Next, I started on the other piece.

"Oh, Ron? I see some honey on your shoulder," Hermione said from behind me. I didn't turn or look anywhere, but I just stood up straighter.

"Oh really? Where?" I asked, but I barely had time to finish my sentence once I felt her weight on my back. I caught her and laughed.

"Right there," she said and placed her hand on my shoulder and laughed along with me.

We walked in an unbalanced cadence, and eventually, I fell back on the couch, which only caused more laughter.

I turned over so that I could see her face, but then I realized the position out bodies were in. Her chest was against mine (because I wasn't exactly hovering over her), and her legs were wrapped around mine. When I looked back up at her face I gulped. Then, she took her hands, put them on my shoulders, and brought them down in front of her face where she sucked at my skin, removing the honey that had remained. I closed my eyes and moaned softly, placing my head on a pillow that was above hers.

**Hermione's Point of View**

Oh, when he moaned it caused me to shiver, and a smile had been placed on my face. My hands explored his back while my tongue traced his shoulders and up his neck and jaw line. Finally, I had licked in one swift movement the base of his neck to his chin, where his lips were right in front of me.

There was no stopping us this time. His lips pressed down against mine, but it wasn't too intense. We were on a couch, and we weren't all alone…wait. Yes we were! We were ALL alone, with the exception of Harry and Ginny outside. But that hardly counted. He must've thought the same thing I did, because he lifted his head up and instantly picked me up and carried me up the steps. I kissed more of his neck along the way.

We reached his room and we both plopped down on his bed. He was over me again, and we were kissing again. But then, a thought hit me.

"Ron," I said against his lips. He stopped moving his amazing lips and brought his face inches away from mine.

"Yeah?" he wondered.

"I…I um," I began as I sat up and he sat next to me.

"We should talk about what happened," I suggested. I crossed my legs as I waited for his response.

"You mean…what happened outside-"

"What happened…everywhere," I corrected. "I want to tell you why I acted the way I did."

He furrowed his eyebrows before continuing with, "You mean…why you decided that we should…break up."

I exhaled slightly as I saw the expression on his face and nodded. When neither of us spoke up for a moment, I did.

"It's stupid," I said and buried my face in my hands, placing my fingers against my temples. "It just started out with one simple idea. And I got that idea from a dream."

"…What was the dream?" Ron asked kindly. I silently thanked him for being so nice about listening to what I had to say before pursuing.

"It started out with us sitting together…just sitting. Something felt off, but even when you're dreaming, it's until you wake up that you figure something was strange...

"Anyways, after a few minutes of sitting quietly on the grass, you got up, which made the whole situation, to me, weirder. I watched you walk a few paces away, but then you stopped and turned to me. I stood up and looked at you as you reached your hand out. I walked to you slowly, and took it. However, when we began to walk, I noticed something: you were not smiling. Actually, come to think of it, you weren't really showing any kind of expression. You were just plain…transparent.

"When you turned to me, we both stopped walking. I felt horrible…like all the feelings I had before I even considered liking you were there. You were the boy I met on the train the first day we traveled to Hogwarts, but in a grown man's body. I stepped back from you and let your hand go. I didn't know what I was feeling. It was a mixture of grief, perplexity, and almost…anger. I asked what was going on, but you didn't say anything. You just looked down at your feet. I said your name once, and you looked up at me again, and your eyes…they were bluer than I've ever seen them…but not in a good way. They were intense, and they didn't fit in with the rest of the way you looked. You looked threatening.

"I then turned around and began to slowly walk away from you. When I looked back, you were still glaring at me with mad eyes, and I heard a voice in my head that said, 'he really doesn't want you.' I thought about the way I felt after going into the girls' dormitory, and I considered what I had seen. And then I started getting more than one idea: 'he feels differently now that he's kissed you,' 'he's hurt because you looked at him the way you did,' and the worst one was, 'the way he acted was all just a lie, and he couldn't put up with it anymore.' I guess that's what all of the thoughts in my head were leading up to.

"And then I got that idea – that one idea that you couldn't possibly want _me_. Who would want me? And all those things you said about me when we got home, I just thought most of that was you being nice."

I didn't know how to continue. The memory of that night scared me. How could I have ever thought that?

"I was being paranoid, and I have never felt the way I do towards you, Ron," I finished and looked back up at him. After a few moments of looking at each other, he scooted closer to me and wiped the tears I didn't even notice were streaming down my cheeks with the pad of his thumb.

"We all get paranoid," he answered and smiled softly, ensuring me that it was okay now. "I got paranoid. When you said that it wasn't going to work out, for a moment there I thought you were right. We were both wrong, but we wouldn't be here if none of that happened."

I looked up at him with my hot, bloodshot eyes, and nodded. He wrapped his arms around me and took me into his arms, rubbing my back in smooth circles. I cried softly into his chest some more.

"It's going to be all right," he whispered and placed his head on mine, still stroking my back.

I lifted my head from his chest and nodded, wiping additional tears from my eyes and smiling thankfully at him.

"Oh, Merlin, I'm a mess," I muttered and laughed half-heartedly. He did too back at me.

"Not too much," he said and smiled, getting a short laugh out of me.

"I'm sorry for all of this," I apologized and covered my mouth before I yawned largely.

"It's alright," he said. "Now take my hand," he added and offered me his hand.

I smiled faintly and took it.

"How does that feel?"

"Good," I answered.

"And, how does this feel?" he asked before leaning slowly towards me and placing his lips on mine gently and briefly. Again, I answered the same.

"Then we're okay."

I smiled before yawning again and covering my mouth.

"Go on," he said and peeled the sheets from behind me. I slid back a bit and tucked myself tightly in the sheets. He was about to get up, but I stopped him when my hand touched his arm. He looked down at me.

"Stay, please," I begged almost inaudibly with glistening eyes.

He didn't say anything, but obliged and took the covers over him behind me and slipped into the bed, placing an arm around me.

And before I knew it, I was asleep next to him: Next to the man who had listened to everything I had to say, even though the thing I did was exceedingly foolish. And, thankfully, the one day that came to me confessing to him came today.

A/N: MHM! Yeah, I hope that satisfies your wanting to know WHAT THE MERLIN IS GOING ON! And later, things will go deeper and deeper into it, even though I think that this was pretty deep…no? Tell me what you thought! HAH your comments on the last chapter made me laugh SO HARD! It was awesome! And, I just have to say that the title of this chapter is a great piece to listen to! Yay! Next chapter coming soon!


	10. What Shall We Die For?

Tending to Him

Chapter 10: What Shall We Die For?

**Ron's Point of View**

My eyes fluttered open. The room was dark, and the only source of light that made it possible to see the outlines of the furniture was the moon's shine. I moved my arms, and realized there was another body beneath me. Hermione was still sleeping soundly, and I could barely make out a small smile formed on her lips. Her breathing was even, and we were in the same position we were in when we fell asleep. I smiled in return to this, and placed my head back on the pillow.

I thought about what she had told me earlier. Thankfully, though, things were settling back to the way they should be.

…I think.

**Hermione's Point of View**

I felt something on my arm, and my eyes immediately snapped open. Oh. It was just Ron's hand moving. I turned over until my face was in front of his and looked at his peaceful face with my partially open eyes.

Absentmindedly, a hand was lifted from my side, and it began to stroke his ginger hair that was resting beside his eye that I could barely see because of the darkness.

I didn't know if I've ever loved a person as much as I did him at this moment, and I didn't know why I felt so strongly towards him now. Was it because he was here with me, and just with me, not caring about anything else that was going on? Not giving a rat's tail if Harry or someone else needed him desperately; because he was just here with me - not even talking to me, just lying next to me? Probably.

I soft smile spread on my face when I thought of this.

Then, realizing I wasn't exactly tired, I carefully turned back around and lifted Ron's arm from around me, placing the covers back over him. I then quietly walked over to the door, opened it soundlessly, and walked back down the steps. There were no lights shining, but all I could sort out were the outlines of the steps and furniture once I reached the ground floor. I paced over to the couch and sat down on it slowly. I brought my feet onto it and bent my legs, looking around the little space. I saw on the table, that was now in the center of the living room again, the jar of honey. I laughed to myself. I would never forget that.

The next few minutes of me sitting there on the couch seemed to go by quickly, and the next thing I heard were soft footsteps proceeding down the stairs. I spun my head in the direction of the stairs and saw a figure gradually coming from around the corner.

Ron stepped into the living space and stopped when he saw me.

"What are you doing down here?" he wondered as he then carried on towards me.

I shrugged and replied once he sat down on the couch, "I wasn't really tired, so I just got up. I didn't want to wake you."

He shook his head and said, "You didn't wake me. I was mildly awake anyways."

I nodded my head once and looked away from him.

"Okay, what's going on?" he wondered and scooted closer to me, placing my legs on top of his lap. I sighed.

"I don't know…it's just weird that you know now," I confessed.

"But do you think we'd be better of if I didn't know?" he questioned, and he was absolutely right.

"You're right," I said. "I…thank you for listening."

"It's the least I could do," he answered and yawned largely.

"Why don't you go back to sleep?" I suggested.

"No, no, I'm fine," he opposed, but yawned again and covered his mouth. I lightened up a bit at this.

"Ron, really, go back upstairs," I advised. He disagreed once again, but before we knew it, we were both lying on the couch sound asleep.

**Ron's Point of View**

I rubbed my eyes and opened them, noticing that sun was shining through the windows. However… Well, I wasn't exactly expecting my mum to be standing right in front of us, fuming.

"Ronald Weasley!" she exploded, making me jump, and waking Hermione, who soon had the same, frightened expression on as me.

"Mum-" I began, but she started again.

"What on earth were you thinking sleeping like_ this_?"

And then I noticed how we had looked. My head had been resting against Hermione's chest below her shoulder, and out legs… Well, this position keeps on popping u, doesn't it?

"Mum we-"

"I don't want to hear it! This is completely inappropriate! Be thankful I didn't catch you in your bed-"

"MUM! Nothing happened! We-"

"Ron, I-"

"-Were just talk-"

"Don't think that-"

"And we fell asleep!"

My mother shook her head and stalked out of the room, calling, "I will talk to you two later!"

…Oi.

I looked over at Hermione, whose mouth was agape with wide eyes staring in the direction Mum left.

"I'm sorry about that-"

But she shook her head, closing her mouth beginning to sit up straight, and I followed her.

"It's okay," she said. "We should've known that was bound to happen sometime," she added quietly. I nodded shock still filling both of our eyes as I looked into hers.

Without another word, we both got up from the couch and walked up the steps. We stopped on the third floor so Hermione could get a change of clothes, and she walked into Ginny's room…and then walked right back out.

"What?" I wondered looking at the door she closed behind her, more surprise filling her eyes.

Oh no. I had a pretty good idea of what she saw…

"Ron-" she started when I began to walk towards the door, but she didn't stop me. I pushed open the door and saw Harry and Ginny sleeping in the same position, if not worse, than Hermione and I had been in earlier. I raised an eyebrow.

"So my mum gets mad at us for sleeping on a couch together but not them in a bed with his shirt off?" I stage-whispered, just then noticing Harry's shirt was, indeed, on the ground and his bare arm was enveloped around my sister. I rolled my eyes.

"They really can't keep their hands off each other, huh?" Hermione whispered to me as we walked up the steps.

"Apparently not," I agreed and chuckled.

"You have gotten better though," she added, which made me only furrow my eyebrows.

"At what?" I asked as we finally entered my room.

"Tolerating them," she clarified, and smiled shortly. "We both know Harry would die for Ginny no matter what."

"…True," I agreed and sat down on my bed. She followed.

"What do you think you'll end up dying for?" she wondered as she did. I didn't know why she would ask a question like that, but I answered. And I have to admit, it probably wasn't the best answer.

"Uh…I don't know."

**Hermione's Point of View**

What did he mean, "I don't know"? I voiced my thoughts.

"What do you mean, 'I don't know'? There has to be something."

"Well, what do you mean?" he asked, probably worried he should've answered differently.

"What do you want to do? I mean…fight for a cause? Or a…person?" That last word was spoken very softly.

"I think I might have an idea," Ron answered, smiling teasingly at me. I joined him, knowing what he meant.

Ron Weasley, if I shall die for anything, I shall die for you.

A/N: …HEY! That was quite the wait…(for this story, at least). Tell me what you thought! And this is sorta a prelude-y thing to what's going to happen next…maybe. The next chapter might be prelude-y as well. And I just have to say that ONCE AGAIN, your reviews made me laugh! It was quite awesome. ANYWAYS Next chapter coming soon!


	11. Enterprising Young Men

Tending to Him

Chapter 11: Enterprising Young Men

**Ron's Point of View**

"Ron! Get down here! And bring Hermione!" I heard my mum yell up to me. Hermione had just changed into her fresh clothes after I had, and I wasn't looking forward to this conversation.

I looked over at Hermione as she exited the bathroom and sighed. She shrugged, apparently hearing Mum's call.

"Don't worry about it," she comforted and walked to me. "It's not like she's going to kill you."

"Believe me, that could be arranged," I disagreed. Hermione chortled once, but it wasn't exactly meant to be a joke.

"Come on, Ron," she ordered as she began to walk out of my room. "You're supposed to be bringing _me_ downstairs."

I exhaled again and followed her down the steps. We turned into the kitchen where my parents were waiting, and I sat down in a seat at the table next to where Hermione had sat.

Mum was looking at us with hard eyes, which made me the slightest bit frightened of what was going to happen, and then my dad just left, apparently not wanting to take part in this situation.

"The state I found you two in this morning was completely inappropriate," she began. "If I ever find you in that position again, Ronald Weasley, I-"

"Can I interject?" I interrupted, getting a bit annoyed with my mum.

"No! You will listen to what I have to say! You are only just eighteen years old!"

"Which is of age! Mum, we're adults!" I shot back at her. "We'll know when to stop if we do anything, which we didn't!" I added quickly because I could see her trying to say something.

"But you're still young," she said.

"You were young! I'm sure you'd like to share when _you_ got married, Mum?" I retorted, immediately regretting it.

"I beg your pardon?" she said, looking flabbergasted. "Just because I was young doesn't mean I want the same outcome for you! For any of my children for that matter!"

I sighed, understanding her. I glanced at Hermione and saw that she was looking between the two of us with the same expression on her face as mine.

"I just want you to be careful," Mum finished while she started to walk away. "Don't do anything foolish."

When she was out of the room, I looked over at Hermione.

"Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," I whispered.

She smiled up at me and nodded, chuckling a little.

"What should we do now?" I wondered, looking around for something to do, although, I knew what I wanted to do. And by the look she gave me, I think she did too.

I leaned in towards her, but my lips couldn't reach hers. Another interruption.

"Hold your snogging!" Harry bellowed as he stalked into the kitchen even though he was practically right next to us. "Ron, look at this!"

I looked over at what was in his hands and furrowed my eyebrows.

"The post? I didn't see Pig fly in this morning-"

"If you recall correctly, you two were sleeping this morning," Harry teased, but his eyes never left the letter.

"Weren't you?" I asked back at him.

"Well, yes, but just read what it says!" he said and shoved the letter at me. He seemed anxious.

"_Dear Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley_," I began reading. "_We would be honored if you two would attend the Auror Academy here in London_-"

Hermione snatched the letter out of my hand and continued reading, anxiety also swimming in her eyes as she read the letter.

"_Seeing your performances defeating the Dark Lord and your past scores on OWLs and NEWTs, we here at the Ministry would hope you will consider joining our staff team. Training will begin on the first of September, and you will be required to stay at the Academy all through May accept for holiday break in the winter and if you are assigned a mission with your partner(s). It would be greatly appreciated if you will please respond by the 30__th__ of July and, if you are to accept, send the paper work that is necessary to complete as health regulations. Thank you, Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt._"

She looked up from the paper with her mouth wide open.

"…How did I get accepted with my scores on my OWLs and NEWTs?" I wondered out loud.

"You've been accepted without sending in an acceptance form!" she exclaimed, ignoring my previous comment, to Harry and me. "Do you think you're going to go?"

"I do need to think some things over," Harry said, nodding, "but I'm pretty sure I'm going."

I looked back and forth between Harry and Hermione and shrugged.

"I really can't make up my mind right this second," I confessed.

"We'll talk about it later," Harry said and exited the room, heading back into the room from where he came. I then focused back on Hermione. She still had a small smile on her face, but it seemed like it was almost a bit sad.

"Or we could talk now," she said. "Just the two of us."

I didn't say anything for what seemed like hours of just staring at her.

"You should go, Ron," she finally spoke up softly. My mouth dropped slightly downwards.

"I'll miss you," I responded softly.

She smiled that same smile again and replied, "I'll miss you, too. But this is a great opportunity."

"Not as great as you," I said and embraced her, feeling her arms wrap around me as well.

"It's nice to hear that, but you're going," she said. "Plus, we've got the whole summer left for just the two of us."

I brightened up a bit at this last remark and smirked down at her.

"That sounds good to me."

**Hermione's Point of View**

"Me too," I agreed easily and lifted up on my tiptoes, and then I kissed his cheek lightly.

*StarStarStar*

He was filling out the paper work at the kitchen table a week later, and I was sitting with him.

"…Can we go outside now? It's bloody hot in here," he complained, placing his pen down on his paper and whipping the sweat off of his forehead.

"We have to finish this first," I disagreed and looked back at the paper.

"It doesn't need to be sent for another two months, Hermione!" he whined and wiped his hand through his hair. I rolled my eyes and slumped back in my chair as he was.

"Come on! We should go to the lake," he suggested. When he saw that I rolled my eyes again, he backed his statement up and said, "Don't you want to feel that cool water on your skin freeing you from this stickiness that you've been kept in for the past two-"

"Fine!" I interrupted, giving in, because I was sweltering as well.

"It's settled then," he said and stood from his chair. "I'll go get Harry and Ginny and George. They need to get out anyways."

He then sauntered up the steps and retrieved Harry, Ginny, and George.

"I don't have a suit," I muttered to Ginny. "What am I going to do?"

"We'll go out for one while the boys play," she replied to me. "I've been wanting to get a new one too anyways."

I agreed with her, and while the boys apparated off to the lake, Ginny and I went to Madam Malkin's in hope that she may have a couple bathing suits.

"You don't happen to have a few bathing suits, do you?" Ginny wondered to Madam Malkin as we walked to her by the counter.

"Bathing suits? You're in luck! I just happen to have a few left in the back! Why don't you come and try them on here?" she advised while we followed her to the back of the shop. There was a small dressing room, and Ginny tried the one she fancied first.

"Wow, Gin," I said. This suit was… Well, Harry would like it very much. Ron, on the other hand, may not.

"I know," she said and giggled. "I don't care what Ron or George have to say. I'm getting it."

Then, it was my turn. The suit was…interesting. It came down right below my chest and the straps wrapped around my neck. The bottom half of the two-piece fit just right. Although, Ginny said when I showed her, "That's a nice one, Mione. It fits and shows off your curves just right."

…Curves? I have curves?

Well, lets just say that comment made me feel a bit more confident of what Ron would think when he sees me in this. But, at that moment, I began to feel afraid, and I just then realized he was going to see me in something that "shows off my curves just right."

"What if-" I began to protest, but Ginny had stood up and walked over to Madam Malkin, and I placed my jeans and t-shirt over it knowing she wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

"We'll take this one that I'm wearing and the two piece navy one," Ginny said and then added, "He'll love it, Hermione," over her shoulder.

I exhaled and zipped up my jeans and then the two of us apparated to where Ron, Harry, and George were.

"There you two are! What took you so long?" George called from the side of the lake holding the rope that connected to the tree over the blue, shining water.

"We've been gone only twenty minutes at the most," Ginny replied while she began to take off the clothes over her swimwear.

"No luck, then?" he wondered.

"No," Ginny disagreed. Once her shirt was on the ground, Harry's jaw dropped noticeably as did Ron's.

Harry climbed out of the water and stood at the edge, staring at her. I chuckled quietly to myself, positive that this would happen.

"No indeed," she breathed. Ginny walked slowly over to him (obviously showing off), and when he least expected it, pushed him back into the water. That got a laugh from everybody else.

Then, I began to take my clothes off, anxious to get in the water and out of this hot air. Ron, apparently, liked this action.

**Ron's Point of View**

OHHHH MERLIN.

I don't think I've ever seen Hermione so amazingly attractive. I mean, she's always been attractive. Of course she was at Bill's wedding and a week or so ago when she did the dare… But I have never seen that much of her. And I didn't think that she would be willing to let me, or anybody, see that much of her.

At that moment, I thought I might've heard a faint voice calling to me, but I couldn't hear. I was practically blocking it out. I did, though, snap back into reality looking away from Hermione's body when there was a humongous splash right beside me. When I emerged to the surface of the water again, coughing loudly, I saw that George was no longer by the edge of the pool. Instead, the rope was swinging, and he was right beside me.

"Nice going," Harry murmured to me as he swam back over to Ginny, who was sitting on the edge of the body of water. I cleared my throat once more and focused back on Hermione, giving George a slight push, which me returned, on my way to her.

"That was smooth," she teased quietly as she sat down on the side of the lake and while I perched myself up on my elbows next to her. I chuckled once.

"So…" I began carefully; afraid I was going to blurt out something wrong.

Apparently, I wasn't careful enough.

"That's a nice look on you."

I felt my face immediately heat up and I turned away from you as she laughed. Oh, Merlin, why did I say that?

"I'm glad you like it," she replied sweetly and turned my chin to press her lips to mine.

Well, about to, at least.

She stopped, almost thinking that she shouldn't and whispered, "Maybe later," in a way that made goose bumps appear on my arms. Then, she stood up with a satisfied expression on her face and walked over to the rope. She was walking differently… Was she rocking her hips?

Oh, yeah. That's why.

*StarStarStar*

The rest of that day went pretty well, and so did that month. It was basically the same simple routine, but suddenly, things began to quicken.

Harry and I had sent in our applications a week ago. I just then realized that I was going to be an auror. Like, actually going to be one. I also figured that the next month would go by fast as well, and I wanted to make every second with Hermione count. Whenever I told her this, though, she just said, "You being with me is already so much, Ron."

Oh, Hermione, it's very sweet for you to say that, but nonetheless, I will indeed make every moment with you count.

At least…the things I've been thinking about will count.

A/N: .…Hey…. *Peeks in through the opening of door*

…YEAH I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN A WHILE, I KNOW! AND I'M REEEEEEEEEEEEALLY SORRY! I guess you could say I've just had a lot on my plate. And yeah, this chapter wasn't a fair update for the long wait, but the next one will be!

Anyways, CLIFFHANGER! And the next chapter is coming soon!


	12. Angelica feat Rodrigo y Gabriela

Tending to Him

Chapter 12: Angelica (feat. Rodrigo y Gabriela)

**Hermione's Point of View**

Okay, I must confess, time had passed and it was the beginning of the middle of August, and Ron was getting more amazingly attractive by the day.

I know, that sounds a bit…idiotic, but he really was.

The only thing I can blame for me seeing him like this: hormones.

And I don't know if it's just me, but Ron seems to be acting a bit differently too.

**Ron's Point of View**

Damn these hormones!

Hermione looks ten times more gorgeous (if that's possible) all because of them! I can't stand it anymore. I'm going to have to do something about it…but if I don't soon, I will seriously end up jumping on her during a family dinner with everyone around.

And that won't turn out too well.

But, I have ideas. Good ideas.

**Hermione's Point of View**

"Meet me outside," Ron whispered in my ear as he passed me while he got up to place his plate on the counter. I hardly furrowed my eyebrows while I watched him walk out of the house. I then looked at everyone else who was standing up and walking around about the kitchen. My eyes stopped at Harry, who raised his eyebrows and smiled a small smile, but it soon turned into a smirk when he realized I had seen him. My heart began to race faster as I stood up, trying to go unnoticed as I exited the burrow.

I saw Ron heading out farther away from the house and more into the field. My feet automatically sped up, and after a few moments, I caught up to him and put an arm through his.

"Hi," he laughed at my approach.

"Hi," I responded and giggled slightly. "What did you want to tell me?"

"I just said, 'Meet me outside,'" he answered. "I never said anything about telling you something."

"Why else would you call me out here, and I know you, Ron."

We were walking at a slower pace now, and he kept looking forward. It was almost like he was avoiding my eye contact.

"Well, maybe I just wanted to walk with you alone for a little bit," he muttered finally.

"Then that's fine with me."

"…But I did want to ask you something," he adjoined shortly after my response.

I knew it.

"What?" I wondered and looked up at him hopefully, my thoughts and hormones once again raging inside of me, but still, he did not return my gaze.

"I just…" he began with a shaky voice.

When he didn't continue, I stopped walking and asked, "What's wrong, Ron?"

He turned back to me, looking at his feet, and murmured almost too quietly for me to hear, "Do you want to go somewhere?"

My expression became more perplexed, but my imagination kept wandering on its own, which, honestly, annoyed me a bit, because I was trying to have a conversation with him.

"Go somewhere?" I inquired as I studied his now red face.

Uh-oh. Okay, now I knew what he meant. And as a result, my face also began to heat up.

Then, without thinking, I answered, "Sure."

His head snapped up to me with an expression that said, "What the-"

"Where did you have in mind?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I was just thinking," he began quietly again, "…that we would stay there alone?"

Stay there? Alone? Me and Ron by ourselves together?

"Er, yeah, that'd be nice," I answered hesitantly.

A smile spread across Ron's face, and he asked again, "Really?"

"Yes," I answered. "That's a great idea."

"Good, uh, great! I'm glad you think so," he answered. "Um, I'll talk to you tomorrow about it some more. I should probably get going to bed."

And with that, he darted inside so fast I only had time to see him close the door behind him. So he headed up to bed at eight thirty, no doubt going to tell Harry what he'd just heard.

I would most definitely be doing the same with Ginny. I couldn't believe what had just happened.

**Ron's Point of View**

Why was I so effing scared? I thought I had planned out our whole conversation thoroughly and careful so I _wouldn't_ get scared.

What a help _that_ was.

When I had gotten into the house, I immediately grabbed Harry and yanked him up the stairs to my room and closed the door tightly behind us. Then, I told him everything that had happened.

"...Hermione said yes? _Hermione_?" he asked, holding back a laugh.

"Yes! She did! Twice! Once to confirm it!" I added excitedly. "I can't believe how nervous I was, though. I feel like an idiot."

"Ron, you are an idiot, because I don't know if she and you are talking about the same thing," Harry replied now laughing.

"The same thing? What else would she be thinking about?"

"She might just think you invited her out someplace just to be alone together," he further explained.

"…But, that's what I did do," I defended.

"Yes, but you want something _more_ mate," he added. "She might not know that, and she might not want that."

"She's not daft," I protected again. "She'd know there would be something more to it than just being alone. Plus, don't you think she'd want it too?"

"I don't know. It's Hermione. She's almost always reasonable. Do you think what your planning is logical?"

Oh, well, thanks for ruining my dreams, Harry.

Apparently, he saw my expression and said, "Okay, look: you do and think what you want. I'm just trying to make sure that it's what she wants too. I don't want you to come crying back to all of us saying, 'I didn't'-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, alright?" I stopped him immediately, but then looked away from him and sighed as I rested my head back against the top of my bed.

"Okay, Ron, why don't you just wait a while? Maybe we can get some more proof that she wants it just as much as you?" he advised.

"That's the thing, mate," I exhaled again. "We don't have much time at all. Only weeks before we go off our separate ways."

It was his turn to breathe out deeply before answering.

"Okay, then this is what you're going to have to do…"

**Hermione's Point of View**

"And then he dashed off into the house!" I explained to Ginny. We were sitting on the floor of her room, and she was looking overwhelmed with what Ron had asked me.

"I can't believe he actually said that!" she exclaimed quietly, her mouth ajar.

"Does that mean he wants to be alone with me because he…wants to…you know…" I wondered carefully and hesitantly.

"Well, by the way you described it, yeah I guess so," Ginny replied to me. "But maybe it was just the fact that you two would be going someplace where no one would do anything to bother you. Maybe it was the fact that you said yes, and he didn't think you would."

My forehead creased, and I thought about this option. It could absolutely be true. And as I thought about it, it probably was. Ron wouldn't want to do something like what I was suggesting, would he?

"Well, just to make sure that you don't blow your cover or anything, lets just say that he wants to be with you alone, and that's all. He doesn't want to do anything like _that_ yet," said Ginny.

"Okay, then what should I do?" I questioned. I was in desperate need of help.

"Pretend you think you're just going out to be alone and have some fun together, but not that kind of fun," she responded. "Don't make it obvious you're excited in _that way_ about going with him. Do you get it?"

I nodded, getting what she was saying.

…More or less.

**Ron's Point of View**

It was the next day. I hardly slept last night. I was too busy thinking about what I was going to say to Hermione. My concentration broke when there was a knock on my door. I looked over at it, then at Harry sleeping soundly in the bed on the other wall, and then back at the door. I got up from my bed and silently walked over to the door and turned the knob.

I peeked through the opening and saw that it was just the girl I'd been thinking about.

"Oh, Hermione," I began, feeling myself becoming nervous again (trying to tell myself that there was nothing to be nervous about), but it was no use. "Come in."

I then walked over to my bed again inaudibly with her following behind. I sat down, as did she, acknowledging that Harry was still asleep.

"So, you wanted to talk to me today about going somewhere alone with you," she whispered.

"Oh, yeah, I did," I said. "I was just thinking, maybe we could wait to go until there's only a week or so left of the summer. How does that sound?"

"I'd know better if I knew where we were going," she answered and giggled slightly.

"Oh, hah, er, um, well, I was thinking we could…go out…."

"Funny enough, I figured that out on my own," she laughed quietly. I nervously laughed along with her. We were stopped when we heard Harry groan and toss in his sleep. I might've even heard him say something that sounded like, "Say it, " but I couldn't be sure…

Bloody hell, Harry, why are you eavesdropping?

"Anyways…" I mumbled, annoyed with him, "I was thinking that we could go stay somewhere overnight…you know, to get away from all of the commotion for a couple of days before we go. Enough time for us to come back and pack, of course."

"Yeah, that sounds nice," she replied, oddly mellow. "It'll be nice just to be alone with you and away from all the family and commotion."

Harry sighed.

"…Exactly what I was thinking," I finally managed to say, trying not to look disappointed.

"It sounds great, Ron," she finished and got up from the bed. "I'll talk to you about the time and date later."

Then, she walked out of the room and smiled reassuringly before she closed the door. Instantly after she did, I threw a pillow at Harry.

"What were you thinking?" he stage-whispered to me between his teeth. "She's acting like she's not expecting to do anything like we were thinking last night!"

"I know, I know!" I said back to him after he threw my pillow back at me. "Should I not expect anything then?"

"No, I'll talk to Ginny about it," he said. "Hermione might've talked to her-"

"No," I interrupted, "that's probably not a good idea. She might just give you false information and mess everything up."

"Maybe, but it's Hermione," he added. "She wouldn't do anything like that to hurt her."

"Just, don't involve her," I said. "I think it might actually work out if everything just falls into place…"

*StarStarStar*

It was time. Hermione and I were going to be alone - officially alone.

Although, I still didn't know if she knew what that meant.

**Hermione's Point of View**

It was Time. Ron and I were going to be alone – officially alone.

Although, I still didn't know if he knew what that meant.

Did he want to do what I wanted to do ever since he asked me? I've been "playing it cool" ever since Ginny and I had a discussion a week or two ago. He's been acting differently, though.

Honestly, I have less confidence that he wants to do what I want to do. Actually, I don't think he even wants to that much considering the way he's acting.

I didn't get much time to think about this though, because we were off before Molly or anyone else could drag us back about a half an hour to an hour after dinner was over.

I laughed as I looked down from the sky as I heard Mrs. Weasley ask frantically, "Where's Ron? Where's Hermione?"

I was riding on Ron's broomstick with my arms draped loosely around him. From my previous broom riding experience, I was better off now because of that ride he gave me a few days after school had finished.

I hugged him closer, but not too close just in case he didn't feel in the mood yet – and a part of me felt as though he wouldn't tonight.

When I did, he didn't seem to notice.

We got to the hotel in Muggle London (so that our family members wouldn't find us if they tried – the only one who knows is Harry), and dismounted his broom behind the building. We walked around to the front (after Ron shrunk his broom) and I went up to the counter while he sat down in the lobby.

"Are there any available rooms?" I asked to the woman.

"Um…yes," she began, eyeing Ron and me, "but are you here alone with him?"

"…Yes," I answered, beginning to become a little concerned and weirded out.

The woman, seeming to figure out that we were old enough, shrugged it off and looked down at her computer. I exhaled quietly from relief.

"Yes, we have three available rooms," she replied. "Would you like the one with the one king sized bed, two queen sized, or two twins?"

"…The one king sized, please," I responded quietly, unsure of what Ron might think of this decision. Remind me again why we'd want two twin-sized beds?

"The room is on the seventh floor, room 721," the woman said and gave me the key.

"Thank you," I said before I filled out all the paper work and gave her the money.

…Hopefully I did it right.

Next, Ron and I went up to the seventh floor and walked down the hall to our room. He tried to open the door several times, but he didn't figure it out, so I ended up laughing and opening the door for him. Our smiles vanished, and we both froze when we entered the room, though.

Yeah, it wasn't much, and I'd certainly been to a hotel before, but I just then realized that I'd be sleeping in this bed with Ron. I turned my head slowly towards his, as did he, but we immediately looked away from each other's glances when we met each other's eyes.

He was the first to walk forward, and place our bag I had been carrying on the broom down against the wall, and say, "…One bed."

I stepped forward to stand next to him slowly again and replied, "…Yeah. Do you think I should go change the-"

"No, no, it's fine," he stopped me quickly. "I mean…we've slept in the same bed before…"

"Right, yeah, it's not that different," I agreed uncertainly.

"Right," he repeated as he slowly walked over to the bed and sat down on it.

"Um…I think I'll be the first to wash off," I put in. "I'm a bit sweaty from this morning."

"Yeah, yeah go ahead," he said as he began to take off his shoes. I nodded and walked into the bathroom after I kicked off my shoes and socks.

**Ron's Point of View**

I was lying on the bed for about fifteen minutes, imagining what it would be like to have Hermione sleep next to me while I listened to the water of the shower run.

Then, it stopped.

My heart immediately began pounding audibly and I looked over at the bathroom door. It opened a minute or so later and Hermione walked out with her hair dripping wet. She jumped when she saw me looking at her, and I turned my face away from her saying, "Sorry," in the process. I was sure my face was becoming bright red.

"It's okay," she said. I heard shuffling and a zipper opening. I turned around slightly to find her rummaging through the bag. I turned back quickly when she began to lift her head.

"Could I borrow a shirt?" she wondered. "I forgot to bring one to use overnight…"

"Yeah, of course you can," I replied, thinking to myself that I overdid it. I heard the sound of her rummaging again, and then I heard the door to the bathroom close again. I looked up at the ceiling once more, and my imagination took off once more.

The door to the bathroom soon opened again, and she walked in with shorts that went down to about the middle of her upper-thigh, or something, and one of my shirts. She slowly sat next to me on the bed, and I perched up on my elbows.

"You're turn, if you'd like," she said. "The bathroom's all free."

I nodded and got up from the bed, and she took my place on it.

I took a quick shower, and I was out of the bathroom within ten minutes. I just needed to rinse off and think about what was going to happen after I got out.

Those thoughts didn't really do me any good, though.

I rubbed the towel through my hair a few times, and then I wrapped it around my waist before I opened the door.

When I did, though, I ran into her.

"Oh! I'm so sorry-"

"No, it's okay I didn't see you-"

"I was just on my way heading to the bag-"

"I should've opened the door more carefully-"

We stopped after I said that last sentence, both sighing in unison.

"This is the second time we've run into each other like this," I breathed, looking down at her embarrassed figure, "except now, George isn't here to tease us about it."

Hermione giggled and looked up at me with her pink face.

"Well, um…I was just coming out here to get some clothes," I said while I maneuvered around her to the bag and picked up a pair of boxers and dashed back into the bathroom.

I quickly put them on, and then I walked back out into the room and placed my towel of the floor. Hermione laughed at this and picked it up, sniffing it along the way.

"Is that…cinnamon?" she wondered and chortled again. I looked away, feeling a bit exposed as I sat down on the bed. She folded the towel and placed it on the chair in the corner of the room and walked over to me. She sat down next to me and put her head on my shoulder.

"We are all alone," I realized as I swung my feet up onto the bed and rested against the pillows. She did the same.

"Yeah," she agreed and placed her head on my shoulder again for a short period of time, because then she quickly stalked over to the table across from our bed. Sitting next to the television was a small…CD player?

I stood up then, too, and walked over until I was standing behind her.

"What's in it?" I wondered. She pressed the button with a little triangle on it and it began to play a song that sounded…Spanish?

When the guitar came in, the music had this certain feeling to it, but it made my heart begin to race a little faster.

"It sounds…" Hermione started, but seemed to not be able to put her mouth on the right word, so I finished it for her, afraid of what her response might be.

"…Sexy."

She didn't look up at me, but I smirked down at her.

The music was getting to me.

I leaned down and pressed my lips to her shoulder after I gently slid some of the shirt off her shoulder. My lips wandered up her neck until I was at her jaw, but then she sharply turned towards me.

"Wait, what?" she interjected. "What are you doing?"

"Um…what are _you_ doing?" I asked hurriedly.

"I thought you didn't want to do this," she answered. I got what she meant instantly.

"I thought_ you_ didn't want to do this."

"Why wouldn't I want to do this?"

"Why wouldn't _I_ want to do this?"

She didn't say anything after that, so I just continued and said, "So…you do want to?"

Eventually, she nodded skittishly.

Well, in that case…

After a second of us both frozen in the moment, I jumped forward and grabbed both sides of her face, pulling her lips to mine. She put arms around my neck, and I lifted her up and carried her to the bed. We landed with me over her, and we continued kissing passionately.

Oh, WOW, that felt good. Her lips moved nonstop down my neck and then my chest. I moaned and tried to control my breathing as she did this, but she soon swooped back up to my lips, and I lost my concentration on everything else but her.

**Hermione's Point of View**

I was lying on his chest under the one sheet. The sunlight pierced through my eyelids, and they fluttered open. I let out a soft breath when I saw that Ron's arm was around mine, and that he had a smile on his face even though he was still sleeping. This made me smile, considering what had happened last night. I turned over and felt the soft bed on my back and thought about what had occurred. We both really wanted to do it, but, for some reason, both of us just couldn't bring ourselves to. We almost did it, but he stopped himself at the right moment. I was, honestly, a bit glad he did. I mean, I wanted him more than anything, but I wasn't ready. And, by the looks of it, he wasn't either. But, he still slept soundly with a delighted expression on his face, and I knew that we both didn't quite get what we expected, but it was plenty for now, and I was extremely happy with the results.

Soon, he woke and turned over on his side towards me, a deep sigh following. Finally, he opened his eyes.

"Good morning," I whispered before I gently kissed his forehead and resumed the position I was in previously.

"Morning," he replied just as quiet, his eyes fluttering to a close again. I giggled at this. Then, recalling another thing that had happened last night, I got up from the bed and wrapped one of the sheets that had fallen off bed around myself and walked over to the table beside the TV. I opened the CD player and the CD popped out. "Angelica (feat. Rodrigo y Gabriela)" was the title of the piece that had been played last night.

I smiled to myself knowing that I would definitely not forget the title of that song, or the experience I had with the man drifting off into another sleep behind me.

A/N: WHEW. That was quite a lot, huh? Anyways…YEAH! I hope you liked it!

…Might not have been what you were expecting? Maybe? No? Yes? Tell me!

And, if any of you have seen the new _Pirates of the Caribbean_, you will probably recognize the music they listen to. Listen to it while you read the part where they listen to it!

…Most of you probably won't, but at least ONE PERSON! PLEEEEEEEEASE! It goes along well with the mood. And yes, I know Pirates of the Caribbean wasn't out then. Pretend that song was. Okay? Okay.

Awesome. And, again, I will THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEWS! They really make me want to write more just because I know I have so many awesome people reading this story. It makes me happy :D!

Warning: Next chapter may be fairly short.

ALSO, go to my profile page and look at the poll! (It'll give you a hint to what's going to happen in/during the next few chapters!)

Next chapter is coming soon!


	13. The Bad Beginning

Tending to Him

Chapter 13: The Bad Beginning

**Hermione's Point of View**

I boarded the train after I said goodbye to everybody (an especially long goodbye to Ron) and then I watched as Ron, Harry, and the others began to get smaller and smaller by the second as the train rode out of the station. I turned back to Ginny. She smiled at me reassuringly, knowing who was on my mind.

I returned it, and then started to think about what this new school year would be like.

**Ron's Point of View**

Hermione decided, to no one's surprise, that she was going to go back to Hogwarts to make up for her last year she missed out on. I was glad she was going to put her year to good use, but I wondered how she would handle being at school a whole year without Harry or me. The thought of her alone made me wonder a bit more as I watched Hogwarts Express leave on the railroad tracks.

I couldn't stay much longer though, because it was also Harry's and my first day at the academy, and we needed to get to the Ministry first to talk with Kingsley.

So, we said bye to my parents and George and apparated away.

*StarStarStar*

After we arrived at the Ministry, Kingsley discussed with us the basic things we would be doing when we were at the academy. We would be assigned one roommate/partner that would be joining us in our exercise routines and missions if we have any.

After he told us these things, we went to the Auror Academy in London. There, we met Robert, who was the senior advisor of auror instruction, and Matt, who was the junior advisor. After we had been introduced to them, Robert went ahead and showed Harry to his room, and Matt showed me to mine.

"Third floor, room 317," he said and unlocked the door with a key that he gave to me after it was opened. "Since this is your first day, you may explore the grounds a bit if you'd like. You won't start the routine until tomorrow, and you'll be having lunch today at 12:40 sharp."

I nodded and thanked him before I closed the door after he left and walked deeper into the study. This room separated two bedrooms. I walked to the left and opened the door to find a man with a towel wrapped around his waist turn towards me. I jumped back a bit and began to apologize, but when he seemed at ease, I stopped myself and stood in the doorway.

"No need to be sorry," he said and faced me directly. "My name's Daniel."

He held out a hand after he ran it through his wet, blonde hair and dried it off on his towel. I tried to ignore it, but I felt my nose curl up a bit; I didn't know where that towel had been. (Thankfully, he wasn't looking at me when I did.)

"Ron Weasley," I introduced back and shook it slightly.

"Ron Weasley? You're Harry Potter's friend – you helped defeat Voldemort?" he asked, his face lifting a little.

I nodded and said, "Yeah. That's me. But, I should let you get dressed… I'll just put my things in the other room."

Without seeing his reaction, I left the room hurriedly and stalked into the other room. I placed my trunk against the wall and ran a hand through my hair.

A few seconds later, a voice from the other side called, "Hey, Ron, we should get going downstairs. It's almost time for lunch. If you want the food hot, we should go now so we're the first in line."

I instantly hopped up from the bed and scurried out of the room. Good. He liked food too.

We got down to the cafeteria, and I saw Harry there with his roommate. We saw each other at around the same time, and he walked towards us and we did them.

"Hey, mate," I greeted.

"Hi, this is my roommate, Poppy," Harry replied and gestured towards the man standing behind him looking very friendly.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," he said as we shook hands.

"You as well," I replied, "and this is Daniel."

"Hi," he said to Harry. Harry returned it.

"Well, we should be getting in the line," Poppy suggested and walked forward where the line was supposed to begin, and Daniel followed him.

"He mentioned that the food would get cold if we didn't get there soon, and I knew you'd be down here in no time," Harry muttered to me as we paced over behind them in line. I nudged him on the way.

The line then filled with people pilling behind the four of us, some of them asking if that was really Harry Potter standing in front of me. I should have expected that. One of the women who had walked up to me, though, I was not expecting.

"Hi, I don't know if I'm right, but-" she began.

"Yeah, that's Harry Potter," I finished for her, looking out of the corner of my eye at Harry, who was talking to Poppy and a few others.

"Actually, that's not what I was going to ask," she responded.

"…Oh," I said. "Er, I'm sorry-"

"No, no, it's quite alright," she said. "I was actually going to ask if _you_ are Ron Weasley, but I can already tell you are."

After she said this, she smirked slightly and said, "I'm Theresa, but you can call me Resa."

"Oh, uh, hi, then," I spluttered out as I moved down the lunch line, staring at her. She had long, light brown hair, eyes that matched her hair, and she was fairly short, but she wasn't ugly.

She scooted closer to me as she reached for a tray, and our arms were touching when she stood beside me as we slid down the line.

"I'm a first year like you," she started again, "but I'm staying longer than you, as rumor has it."

…_How are there already rumors? We just got here._

"Er, yeah, that's right," I continued.

"I'll be in your daily group," she went on, feeling more of her arm against mine. "There was a sheet in front of the main office in the core of the building saying what group we're in. We're in 'A.'"

"Oh, okay, thanks for letting me know," I responded. To the side, I saw Harry furrow his eyebrows slightly and eye Theresa.

"Why don't I come over to your room later this evening? We can get more acquainted," she suggested. This is when I felt a hand on my other shoulder.

"Hey, Ron, why don't we go sit down?" Harry advised, his hand firm on my shoulder. When I looked at him, he was still eyeing Theresa.

"Yeah," I replied to her and then turned to Harry.

"I'll be right there."

"What's your room number?" asked Theresa.

"Ah, I don't think Ron will be available tonight," Harry said again, his hand pushing into my shoulder.

"317," I answered. She smiled and then walked away with her lunch tray to another table with some other women sitting there.

When I turned back to Harry, he swiftly hit the back of my head.

"Ow! What?" I questioned.

"Ron! What the hell do you think you're doing?" he whispered to me.

"Getting to know someone else here so that I don't go walking around like some hopeless bloke," I replied quietly back.

"Well could you get to know someone other than _her_?" he emphasized and looked towards her. I followed his eyes, and when I did, I saw Theresa and the other women all staring at the two of us, but they immediately looked away with devious smiles on their faces.

"Oh, come on, Harry," I said. "It's just one girl wanting to get to know me."

"Yeah, Ron, wanting to get to know you," he shot back at me. "You have a girlfriend!"

"Thanks for telling me," I said sarcastically and headed over to the table with Poppy and Daniel, who were looking at the two of us with concerned expressions on their faces. However, Harry stopped me again.

"Just, don't do anything stupid," he warned me. "I don't want to see either one of my best friends get hurt – let alone both of them."

With that, he headed off to the table, and I pursued behind him a second after.

*StarStarStar*

The day had gone by fairly quickly, and now, it was 10:00. Harry and I walked around the building together the rest of the day, and by the time I got back to my room, I was a hot mess.

Daniel (again, with a towel wrapped around his waist) commented on my stench and my rubber-looking face much to my distaste, but he did make a short smile appear on my face after he teased me. At least I was getting to know somebody. The awkwardness at lunch with everybody walking right passed me and up to Harry was a bit much for my first day. The only one who didn't do that was Theresa.

Remembering that she was coming over later made me realize that I probably shouldn't look like a greasy pumbaa.

Quickly, I stripped and hopped in the shower for about ten minutes.

The bathroom was hot and steamy after I turned the water off and hopped out. There was a towel above the toilet. I took it and ran it back and forth through my hair. Then, I rubbed it along my anatomy and swathed it around my waist. Then, I exited the bathroom, leaving the door open behind me to let out the steam, but I froze once I saw who was standing before me against my bedroom door.

"Hey," Theresa said looking at me from my feet to my face.

"…Uh-um-whah-uhh-Daniel!" I called, trying to distract myself from the lady in front of me.

"What?" he called back, sounding like he was holding back a laugh.

"Did…" I began, trying to ignore Theresa's stare at me, but then I thought about what I was going to say.

"Did you let her in here?" I asked skittishly. The door creaked open and he poked his head in.

"…Was I not supposed to?"

"Well, I was in the shower!" I said between my teeth after I stalked up to him leaving only little room between him and me.

"I thought that would be a bonus!" he said and smiled as if that were obvious.

"A bonus? I have a girlfriend!" I whispered harshly.

"…Oh. You could've mentioned that before!" He looked a bit apologetic, but I didn't have time to respond, because he was shut off when the door closed on his face. I slowly turned around to find Theresa's hand on the door. My heart rate began to quicken, and I stepped around her nervously and slowly, backing away from her devilish sneer.

"Uh, Theresa…" I began uneasily, my face burning. "Do you mind i-if you wait outside while I change-"

I was interrupted when she had placed a hand on my bare chest and pushed me back slightly, which made me fall onto the bed. I quickly scurried back as she bent down showing off quite a gander of her cleavage and began to crawl towards me, who was stuck at the back on the bed, holding onto my towel for dear life.

"I told you to call me Resa. Why don't I just stay here?" she replied instead and began to poke her head out closer to mine. I began to shrink down lower onto the bed, but that didn't do any good. I closed my eyes shut tight as her body rested lightly on top of mine.

"You know, I do want to get to know you," she continued on. Her hand that had been on my chest was now on its way down my chest and was about to feel below that, but I quickly moved my hip up, which made her hand slide down my thigh. A sigh escaped my system, and I silently thanked Merlin that it had not gone somewhere else.

"I want to know you very much, Ron," she whispered as her lips lightly grazed my ear. I shuttered slightly and turned my head farther away from hers, my eyes still closed tight.

"But, I don't think I can with that Harry Potter always telling you what to do."

This is when my eyes snapped open. Her neck was right in front of my face, and I began to sit up, but she refused, apparently wanting to keep the position we were in.

I was about to defend myself before she shushed my softly, which was another thing that made me need to clamp my teeth together, and placed two fingers over my mouth before she lowered herself down so that her lips were now at my neck. Her hands began to trace down the border of my body and she kissed my neck. I clamped my eyes shut, the raging hormones in my body going wild. Then, she stuck out her tongue and began to lick small circles below my chin.

That was it. That was when I cracked.

"Okay, Theresa, stop!" I demanded and sat up. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked down at me. She kneeled in a straddle over me, and I quickly forced my way from her and held onto my towel, not knowing how it was still on.

"I think you should leave," I advised firmly and opened the door for her. After moments of staring at the floor, I finally looked up to see that she was in the same position on the bed, but she was now shaking her head looking flabbergasted.

She got up, marched over to me, and then spit in my face, "If you knew what's good for you, you would've stayed on that bed."

Then, she sped out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

I finally felt like I could breathe again, but as I did enter my bed after I placed my boxers on, I did get an odd feeling that tomorrow would not go smoothly, and all I could think about was how Hermione would take all of this – and if she would even know at all.

A/N: WOW. Okay, what a ride that was, huh? I'm still a bit in shock, and I wrote it. :O

Anyways, hello my lovelies! Hope you liked this odd, suggestive wad of a chapter that can't help but feel like the cliffhanger it is!

AND ALSO, I have to say thank you. to who reviewed! Your reviews seriously just bring a smile on my face. They do. Seriously. Really, they do. All the time. Seriously. Thanks to all who listened to the music for the last chapter! It was good, wasn't it? And, yeah, the poll was sort of a fail. I worded it really wrong, and I just wanted to see what you would say.

…I didn't get to it until days later, though, so…y'all probably just didn't think it'd be there. Oh well. Just an experiment.

And WHOA! HP7 Pt. 2 came out! What did ja think?

…Another poll on my profile as I type this.

And yeah…I said this chapter would be short….It's not really that short, is it?

Next chapter coming soon!


	14. Ready the Ships

Tending to Him

Chapter 14: Ready the Ships

**Hermione's Point of View**

I was, yes, a bit surprised (to say the least) that McGonagall (who was headmistress) named me Head Girl next to Neville as Head Boy. Our conversation was not long, because I, of course, knew all the duties of Head Girl. Although, since I told McGonagall I had it all under control, she left the duty of calling all the prefects to the meeting and figuring out a time schedule for rounds and such up to me. So, I went to each table and told each prefect boy and girl to rendezvous right outside the Great Hall after they had taken their houses up to the dormitories. Then, after dinner had ceased, the prefects met with Neville and me and began our meeting.

I had rounds with Neville twice a week at nine o'clock. I smiled thankfully knowing that I was partnered with someone I knew and trusted.

"What about extra activities?" one of the sixth year prefects from Ravenclaw asked.

"What do you mean?" Neville wondered.

"Well, are we going to do anything for Halloween, for example?" the other Ravenclaw asked.

"I hadn't thought of that," I admitted. "McGonagall mentioned that we could organize a dance or something along those lines."

"Perfect!" a Hufflepuff fifth year cheered. "What should we do for it?"

"How about just a costume party?" the Slytherin sixth year put in. "I don't know if we can afford to do anything else if we want to do more than this one dance."

"Very true," I said. "I like that idea. A costume party for Halloween will be on Halloween Night beginning at eight o'clock and ending at…"

"Midnight?" Neville suggested.

"If we can get it that late, then yes," I agreed. "All in favor?"

Everyone was smiling and raising their hands.

"It's settled then," I confirmed.

**Ron's Point of View**

I walked down to the main office and looked at the sheet that listed all of our groups. I was, indeed, in Group A with Harry, Poppy, Daniel, Theresa, and a woman named Annette. It said our schedule for the day, and we would be going to the field at ten this morning. I had five minutes to get there.

*StarStarStar*

Yes, Daniel did wake me up because we both wanted to get fresh breakfast, but he had gotten distracted and ran off with Poppy when he had heard something in the room opposite the cafeteria.

It was the start of our second week at the Academy. For some odd reason, Theresa had not shown up the first day our group was assembled.

…Not that I had a problem with that.

I did, though, question why Harry was asked to speak with Robert privately in his office in the middle of breakfast. I was left alone at the table with Annette, who was extremely unlike her missing roommate. Annette was mildly shy at first, but as I got to know her, she was very sweet. She had straight brown hair that reached beneath her shoulders, and deep brown eyes. She was a bit smaller than Harry, and she spoke with a Spanish accent. She had come from Mexico. Her father was French, and her mother had died after giving birth to her youngest sibling, Luis, who was now four years old. Castalia, her seven-year-old sister, and Luis live in France now with their father.

I had been talking to her about her family before Harry came into the room with confused looking Poppy and Daniel behind him.

"Harry?" I wondered as Annette and I looked up at him.

"We…we've been assigned a mission," he told us. "Our whole group. We leave tonight."

"Already?" I asked and stood up. "What is it?"

**Hermione's Point of View**

September when by very quickly, and so did the majority of October. It was the 29th, which was only two days until the party.

"So, who are you going to take?" Ginny whispered to me as we walked down the Great Hall after breakfast. I was worried about that. Everyone else was flipping out about dance partners to take to the dance.

"I don't know, Gin," I whispered as we turned the corner together, looking a bit dismal. "Who would I bring?"

She shrugged and looked the same as I did.

"I don't know," she whispered. "The same goes for me… Have you been thinking about him?"

"Who?" I asked as I turned towards her.

"Ron, who else?"

"Have you been thinking about Harry?" I replied, not giving an answer.

"Of course I have," she responded.

"Then I've been thinking about Ron," I finished. She laughed half-heartedly at my answer and looked up at me.

"I haven't talked to them in so long," she confessed. "I hope they're doing alright."

I nodded, and I silently added in my head, "I hope they're doing alright, too."

"Actually, we're splendid," a voice said in front of Ginny and me as we turned the corner. I smiled brightly as I embraced Ron around his neck laughing into his shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned once I saw his face again.

"I'll explain to you in a bit," he replied. "Ginny, Harry's looking for you. He's close to the Gryffindor corridor."

Ginny smiled and hugged him as well before scurrying off to find Harry.

I looked back at Ron, the smile never leaving my face, and we both reacted at the same time as our lips pressed together. It felt so nice, so relieving to kiss him again knowing that he was okay.

We pulled apart and kept our gazes at each other until there was a soft voice behind Ron. We spun around in unison and saw a girl that might've been a bit taller than me looking around up at the ceiling, portraits on the wall, and the rest of the surrounding area.

"Wow," she spoke in a Spanish tongue, "I've only seen pictures…"

"Hermione," Ron began and walked towards the girl, "this is Annette. She's part of the group that was sent here."

"Hi," I greeted her and held out my hand. She took it and smiled at me once before continuing to look around the hall. I looked up at Ron, and my eyebrows inclined.

"…She's never been here before," Ron clarified to why she was so consumed in the building. I understood then, but something he said caught my attention.

"The group that was sent here?' I repeated.

**Third Person Point of View**

Ginny was walking down the corridor towards the Gryffindor common room when she saw him. She smiled largely and ran towards him, not caring about the noise she made. This caused him to turn towards the sound, and he smiled back, catching her in her arms after she pounced onto him. He held her for a few more moments before he moved to look at her face.

"I didn't think I'd see you for another three months!" Ginny exclaimed as she examined his body from head to toe. His boulder, provocative body…

"Me neither," Harry confessed, chuckling at what she was doing. When her head faced back to his, she brought his lips down to hers, and he held them there, consuming the feel.

They broke apart when someone behind them interrupted, "Hurry up, will you? We've got stuff to do."

Harry turned around to his partner looking agitated. Ginny looked past Harry's arm to see the man standing behind him.

The man apparently saw Ginny look at him, and he said with a smile, "I'm Poppy. Nice to finally meet you, Ginny," as he walked forward, holding out a hand.

Ginny smiled a small smile back and shook his hand, keeping her other hand on Harry as he had one on her.

"What 'stuff' do you need to do?" Ginny questioned, her attention back to Harry.

Harry seemed to hesitate before he told her why he was there.

"We're here on a mission," he replied quietly. Ginny furrowed her eyebrows, and he continued.

"Supposedly, there's someone here causing trouble to the professors. He or she keeps saying that he knows things about an escaped Death Eater, and that he's threatening to bring him back with him if they don't do what he wants them to do. McGonagall is furious. She doesn't know what to do."

"What have you done so far?" Ginny inquired.

"Nothing," Harry responded. "We've only been thinking of all the possible people that could've done it. And, according to Kingsley and some others at the auror academy, the only Death Eater left is a young woman. They don't know her name, though."

"…So she's here? Now?" Ginny wondered.

*StarStarStar*

"Yes, she's here now," Ron replied as he and Hermione stalked down the hallways on their way to Harry and Ginny. Ron had told Annette to find Daniel.

"And has she threatened to attack the students to?" Hermione wondered.

"That is a great possibility," Ron replied.

"Oh no," she whispered and stopped suddenly. Ron noticed she had halted, and he spun around.

"What is it?"

"It's just that…the Halloween party is two days from now," she explained. "It'll be dark, the kids will be dressed up, and it'll last until midnight-"

"And she'll most likely strike us then," Ron finished and grabbed Hermione's hand, now in more of a rush to find Harry, Ginny, and Poppy.

"Harry!" he called when he saw the three of them discussing right outside the common room.

"Ron," Harry answered when he saw them.

"I think we have an idea of where she's going to be," he replied.

"I think we do too," said Harry.

**Hermione's Point of View**

It was the day.

There were loads of people that went from different types of animals to princes and princesses.

I was in the Great Hall trying to look passed massive wads of witches and wizards stationed all about. Then, that's when I saw him.

Ron was stationed on the other side of the door dressed somewhat like Zorro (looking pretty attractive, might I add), and Harry was standing in a little corner dressed as the Phantom of the Opera with a fedora placed on his head. The whole auror team was dressed somewhere along those lines: they all had on something black that wouldn't stand out. Poppy and Daniel seemed to have worked out a scene for their disguises. Poppy was a matador and Daniel was the bull. I definitely did question this, but since no one noticed them, I just let it slide. I didn't see Annette until I was deep inside the Great Hall. She was wearing a "black spider-man costume" is what she told me.

Later that night, I found Ginny, who was dressed as a cat, much to Ron's silent disapproval.

I, on the other hand, was dressed as the young maiden from _The Warlock's Hairy Hear _in _The Tales of Beetle the Bard_.

Ron walked up to me, and a small smile formed on his face.

"You look amazing," he muttered. I giggled slightly and looked down at my dress.

"What, this?" I replied, feeling a slight blush coming to my face. He chuckled and nodded. His face was inching towards mine, but he stopped when a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Come on, mate," Daniel whispered to him. "We should get going."

I nodded, knowing what their plan was, and watched him as he left, midnight just minutes away.

"Excuse me?" a voice interrupted my thoughts, and I turned in the direction it was coming from.

"Yes?" I asked. There was a young woman I'd never seen before standing in front of me. I couldn't help but think…

"Are you Hermione Granger?" she asked in a light, innocent voice. It was almost _too_ innocent…

"Yes," I answered, but right after the "s" left my lips, she struck me, the echo of the slap carrying through the whole hall, and I fell down onto the hard floor, hearing some gasps along the way.

I hit the floor with a bang, but I hastily searched for my wand, which was in my annoyingly high, scratchy boot.

She was quicker though, and my wand flew from my hand.

"What is going on here?" McGonagall projected throughout the hall as she stepped over to us. Other voices sounded too: Ron's and Harry's.

McGonagall stopped when she saw the sight and raised her wand. The woman tried to disarm her, but two arms around her arms stopped her. Poppy and Daniel had taken her wand from her hand and pulled her back a bit. Annette stepped quickly in and poured what appeared to be Veritaserum into her mouth. She stepped back until she was standing next to me. There was only silence before Ron spoke up.

"Theresa?"

She looked at him and began laughing.

"What is your name," Harry spoke in a sinister, quiet tone to her.

"Theresa," she replied, still struggling to get out of Poppy and Daniel's grasps.

"Name the escaped Death Eater," Harry ordered.

"Theresa," she answered. There were a few faint intakes of breaths around us, and I finally realized that her costume was not a costume. It was her uniform.

"Why did you attack Hermione?" Harry demanded one last time.

"Finish what the Dark Lord started," Theresa sputtered out and looked up at Ron, another wicked smile emerging onto her face.

"Take her to the Ministry," McGonagall said. "I'll be joining you in a few moments."

Harry nodded and led the way out of the Great Hall with his group following him.

"Are you alright, Ms. Granger?" she added. I nodded.

"Yes, thank you."

She nodded in return and focused back on the students all around her.

"If the prefects will please lead their house back to your dormitories, that would be greatly appreciated. I will be joining the aurors at the Ministry for the time being."

Then she faced me again and said, "I will have Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter inform you of what has happened tomorrow."

She then sauntered out of the Hall, and was seen no more that night.

A/N: YAY! Exciting chapter? No? Maybe? A lil bit? Anyways, I hope you liked it! Let me clear something up for you if you didn't understand: Theresa was the one threatening the teachers that there was an escaped Death Eater, but it was always her. She was, in a way, covering for herself. Got it? Awesome.

And, as always, thank you for the comments! Hah I don't like Theresa either, guiz!

That's why she's gone. Forever. Hopefully. Maybe. You'll see ;)

Next chapter coming soon!


	15. Guilty OB Innocent OB Ron Weasley

Tending to Him

Chapter 15: Guilty of Being Innocent of Being Ron Weasley

**Third Person Point of View**

"Hey, Mum, Dad, look at this!" George called to his mother. Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen within seconds followed by Mr. Weasley. "It's Ron's update on what happened with Theresa."

**Hermione's Point of View**

"So, she admitted that she was threatening the professors and that she assaulted me, and now she's in Azkaban… If she wanted to do permanent damage to me, why did she just slap me, then? Why didn't she curse me?" I wondered as I walked down the hallway with Ron.

"Be thankful it was just a slap, Mione," he replied to me, looking ahead with concerned eyes.

"I'm serious, Ron," I argued, and he began to slow.

"She said she wanted to finish what Voldemort started," he responded sincerely. "What we're guessing is since he is dead and his obsession for Harry died with him, she wants all the muggle-borns to vanish as well—hence, to finish what Voldemort started; just what he started in the _first_ place."

"I still don't see why she just slapped me," I confessed, scratching the back of my head.

"She wanted to show some physical pain, maybe? Perhaps she thought you weren't worth destroying with magic," he put in, now at a complete stop. "Or she could've been jealous? I mean, a muggle-born being with a pureblood that she was…coming onto…" He shivered at that last comment, and the look on his face told me that he was reminded of the time she had appeared in his room after he had showered. The thought also made a slightly repulsive look on my face appear. I turned to him and crossed my arms.

"Did she say anything else about anyone else involved in this 'operation,' if you will?" I inquired. My eyes were not on him at the moment.

"We'll try to find out everything we can, but so far, it's just been her," he mumbled. "I wrote back home so they'll know what's going on in case they see anything—especially George while he works at his shop. I should be getting back to Daniel, though."

He stated to head in the other direction before my hand caught his arms. He faced back to me.

"When will you be leaving?" I wondered.

He took my hand.

"Probably sometime later this afternoon. We have to get back to the courtrooms."

"Write me."

"I will tomorrow."

I pulled him into a tight embrace as I kissed him quickly. We released each other soon, and I whispered to him lastly, "Be careful."

He smiled a small, mildly reassuring smile before he turned back the way he was headed earlier.

I watched as he disappeared around the corner until someone disrupted my gaze.

"Are you alright?" Neville asked.

"What?" I wondered, caught a bit off guard.

"Your face," he elucidated, "from last night. Is it feeling better?"

"Oh, oh, yes," I said, turning back to the spot where Ron left. "Yes, thank you."

**Third Person Point of View**

George creased the fold of the letter his younger brother had sent to his family this morning repeatedly until he decided he should get back to the shop.

The lights turned on, showing a sort of friendliness that shined all over the pastels, artwork, and potions. It reminded him of his other half.

The sort of expression he was wearing now he would never let anyone see. His lips were drooped, and his eyes shined, almost getting wet.

_No_! he told himself. _Don't do this now. There'll be other times to grieve about him._

He walked through his store, knowing that tomorrow would be one of those days. It would be six months since Fred had died. He couldn't help but feel the sorrow lingering as he thought more about the note Ron had written. The fact that there was another person like Voldemort…like the Death Eaters…like the one who killed his twin revolted him.

He went into the back of the shop slowly, his feet dragging and his arms hanging loosely in his coat pockets. The light flicked on and he sat down in the boring office with a few stacks of paper piled on the small desk.

He sat down in the spinning chair beneath the single, flickering light bulb. This office mess wouldn't be here in Fred was here. The shipping orders would be out within a day, but everything slowed once George figured he had to do it once he was gone. The store was closed at the moment, and he flicked his wand. All of the papers flew around the room and sorted into organized piles. One pile of completed shipping orders, and another of incomplete shipping orders. He took the first paper on the top of the incomplete pile and began to write out the details. He knew that Fred would probably just wave his wand and have the items sent without fussing over the paperwork at all, but being in the shop longer gave him more time alone and more time alone to be in a place he could mourn without anyone worrying. He didn't get far before he heard the door creak open and then close. He looked up from the paper and stood from his chair, walking outside afterwards. He, again, didn't get very far when he saw who entered the shop.

"Angelina," he spoke softly as his good friend and past quidditch teammate approached.

"Hello, George," she replied quietly while she stopped in front of him. "I'm sorry, that sign says the shop's closed, but the lights were on—"

"No, no," George interrupted. "It's fine. I wasn't really doing anything."

"Oh, okay," she said and smiled lightly.

"What brings you here?" he wondered and sat down on one of the steps on the stairs.

"I… Well I-I just…" she spoke weakly and sighed. "I just wanted to see how you were."

"How I am?" But George knew what she was referring to.

"It's been a while," she carried on. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

George bowed his head, and suddenly his hands became very interesting as he felt his face heat up.

"I've, er, been…" he tried feebly. "I've been…been okay, I sup-I suppose."

Angelina sat down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it with her thumb.

"It'll be six months tomorrow," she remarked, her voice sounding shaky as well. This is when he decided to look up. Her eyes were wet, and a silent tear had trickled down her cheek. He nodded, biting down hard on his teeth to make himself not cry at the sight of her. He ran the pad of his thumb unknowingly over her tear and kept his hand at the base of her head. She continued to sob inaudibly until she burst into more tears and wept into his chest. He hugged her closer to him and placed his head on top of hers.

"Y-You're just the c-close-closest person to him I know," she continued. "And I didn't know where else to go—"

"Shh," George shushed her quietly, yet shakily as he continued to stroke her back.

"And you were his best friend," he told her into her hair. "You're the closest friend to him I know."

He felt her nod in his chest as they sat there for what seemed like hours more. She was the one to break their hug as she looked into his glistening, bloodshot eyes.

"I just thought that maybe…" she trailed off, but she was cut short when she kept gazing a second more. George looked back, speechless as well, and he thought he knew what she was feeling in the same moment. Then, as if something sparked between the two of them, they simultaneously brought their lips together.

A moment passed without either of them moving, just him feeling her lips on his. When they parted, they looked at each other with uncertainty.

George felt entirely conflicted. Reality hit, and he knew that she was Fred's ex, but that was only because he wasn't here anymore. If he was still here, they would still be together…

But then reality hit even harder once he realized how _good_ it felt.

They both stood up slowly in unison, and he was still speechless. Angelina was the one to break the silence.

"I should probably be going," she said. "I-I hope you're feeling better…"

A small smile ticked on and off of George's face when she spoke this.

"I probably shouldn't have come—"

"No," George stopped her. "I'm glad you did…"

Angelina smiled tenderly and suggested, "Well, maybe I could stop by tomorrow."

George nodded.

"That'd be nice."

"Okay," she agreed and walked out of the door. George watched as she walked away.

He had a lot to think about tonight.

**Ron's Point of View**

"So you told Hermione?" Harry asked as he walked down the hallway of the Ministry with me.

"Well that's definitely something I'm not going to hide from her…" I told him.

"How'd she handle it?"

"The way Hermione would," I replied. "She paced back and forth, put her hand over her face, and after a while, accepted what had happened—that I wasn't guilty or anything."

"Well, you kind of are…" Harry disagreed. My head snapped to him, and my eyebrows inclined.

"I am not! I didn't do any of that on purpose!" I defended.

"If you had just been a little more observant, you would've known she was flirting with you," Harry explained.

"Observant? I was plenty observant."

"Apparently not."

*StarStarStar*

The session had ended after twenty to forty minutes. It was boring, and Harry might've had to wake me up a couple times.

Okay, my courtroom skills needs a little more practice, but that's not what I was worried about afterwards.

"What do you mean you _kissed_ her?" I hissed at my older brother.

"It just happened! I can't explain it," George responded. He had apparated to the Ministry ten minutes after Theresa was declared guilty and put in Azkaban.

"Don't you feel at all guilty about what happened?" I wondered. He looked at me.

"Don't you?"

"Don't I what?" I wondered, a little confused, but I had a hunch I knew where he was going with this.

"Don't you feel 'a little guilty' about what happened between you and Ms. Azkaban?" he clarified.

"Do _not_ turn this on me!" I seethed.

"We're in the same boat, Ronny," George said, teasing me a bit.

"We definitely are not!" I shot back and stopped walking, facing him. He did as well.

"In a way, we are," he repeated.

"No," I spit out. "I am innocent! What did I do wrong?"

George had a slick expression on his face, so I stopped him before he could say anything when he opened his mouth.

"Don't-Don't answer that."

I rolled my eyes. I wasn't going to hear another accusation aimed at me. I was completely innocent!

…Wasn't I?

A/N: HEY Y'ALL! Hope you liked the update!

…And yeah. It's been a while. And this chapter's not my longest. I'm SORRY! I've been quite buzey.

WELL, now onto more business. I know Fred and Angelina might not have been dating while they were away from Hogwarts cause Fred was flirting with those girls, but then I thought that's just Fred, and Angelina was reeeeeally sad when Fred had died…so I just figured they dated!

Okay, seriously, I LOVE MY REVIEWERS! I love to hear that you listened to the music, that you really liked this part or that part, and that you are curious to find out what happens next! IT'S AWESOME! I really enjoy the enthusiasm some of you put into your reviews—especially if they're descriptive. They often make me smile and laugh making me want to write more of this story :D!

And for all who were confused, I hope this chapter cleared things up a bit!

Next chapter's coming soon!


	16. Concerning Wizards

Tending to Him

Chapter 16: Concerning Wizards

It was the first day I was back for the Christmas holiday. Harry and I arrived home after everyone else.

"Ron! Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as she jumped up from the couch to greet us at the door. It felt good to see her again—_really_ good. I hugged her tightly after she hugged Harry, and I felt her arms wrap around my neck. I wanted to get closer to her, to take in more of her, but we were about as close as we could get at the moment.

"It's so good to see you," I whispered into her shoulder and closed my eyes.

"You too," she said before we released each other. "Happy Christmas."

"You too," I said, and then I kissed her, quickly and tenderly.

"Oh, Ron!" I heard my mum call, which broke our kiss. I looked up to see her charging at me at full speed—er, at least as fast as she could go.

"Hi, Mum," I said and tried to return a few pats on the back from her bone-crushing hug.

"Come along, I've made everybody some hot chocolate," she said after she let go of me. I exhaled loudly and followed everyone to the living room.

**Third Person Point of View**

Angelina came to the burrow the next day. George remembered the talk they both had the day after she appeared at Weasley Wizard Wheezes thoroughly. Well, it started out as a talk. They both realized what they did was wrong, but then the spark happened again, and they ended up kissing. And when they'd try to pull away to talk it over, they didn't get farther than three words before they were snogging again.

George smiled when she came in, and she was welcomed by all of the other Weasleys who were present. They knew about them, and although it took some getting used to at first, they started to comprehend that Angelina was just as right—if not better—for George as she was for Fred.

"Hello, dear," Molly said to her as she walked into the house next to George.

After Angelina entered, so did Bill and Fleur, who was already three to four months pregnant. There was a lot of enthusiasm around those two for the days that followed.

"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?" Molly cooed at Christmas dinner.

"Not yet," Bill answered, rolling up his sleeves of his sweeter she knitted for him. "We're waiting until the day of to find out."

The presents were mostly the same: sweaters, scarves and hats were all made for the Weasleys and Harry, Hermione and Angelina, Hermione received some more books, and Harry and Ron both got a new set of quidditch equipment from Hermione. George had given a fair share of things from the Weasley shop to his brothers, sister, Harry, Hermione, and Angelina.

The night was dark, and snow fell from the sky slowly. George was outside sitting down on it, watching it blend in with the stars. Again, he was acting very uncharacteristically.

"George?" he heard a wonderful voice call behind him. He smiled and turned his head. Angelina sat down beside him.

"What are you doing?" she wondered as she put her head on his shoulder.

"Just thinking," he replied quietly and placed his head on hers.

"It's really pretty," she whispered. He smiled once more.

"Mhm," he mumbled, and then looked down at her.

"Merry Christmas, Angelina."

She looked up at him and responded, "Merry Christmas, George."

They kissed for what seemed like hours on end, but when he looked back up at the sky, it was the same shade of blue it had been before he had closed his eyes.

He loved being there with her, feeling her warmth, feeling her presence. It made him feel _that_ much better no matter the state he was in before she showed up.

**Ron's Point of View**

The first year of Auror training had finally ended. The rest of the time, we just did fake missions and worked out excessively and, might I add, painfully.

Harry and I apparated home, and almost as soon as I got through the door, I was being rushed out of it.

Mum, Dad, George, Harry, Ginny (who was let out of school) and I were all scurrying to the hospital.

We knew this day would be coming soon, but not _this_ soon. We weren't expecting to be here three weeks early at all.

When we arrived, Charlie, Percy and his girlfriend Audrey (who Percy introduced us to when she came to the burrow for New Year's) were waiting outside of one room.

"How long has it been?" Mum wondered to Charlie.

"Not long," he replied. "But she was about ready when she got to the front door, as Bill says."

We paced back and forth in front of the door for longer than I could keep track of until the door opened, and the nurse held the door open for all of us.

We entered the room as softly as we could (Fleur was asleep on the bed), and Bill was standing inside with a little baby in his arms. Mum gasped quietly at the sight, and I had never seen Dad smile so immensely.

"Oh, Bill," she said and walked over to him. He hugged her with one arm and then handed the baby to her.

"It's a girl," he said and laughed once, holding back the tears that were shining in his eyes. I looked at the amazed people stationed together near the doorway. Everyone was smiling or so shocked that he looked overjoyed.

"Have you named her?" my dad wondered, not taking his eyes off of the baby girl.

Bill nodded and replied, "Victoire. It's the second of May."

The date hadn't even crossed my mind, and indeed it was the day we triumphed over Voldemort and the Death Eaters. I smiled even more.

"That's beautiful," Mum sighed, tears slowly streaming down her cheeks.

We all stayed for a couple more minutes, and then the nurse asked us to leave kindly.

It was then that I realized my brother just became a father, and I was Uncle Ron.

**Third Person Point of View**

George had asked Angelina to meet him at his shop later, and he couldn't believe what he was about to do.

The box was twiddling in between his fingers in his right pocket, and he felt his palms sweat.

He was pacing back and forth, reviewing over in his head what he was going to say—or what he was going to "improvise"—but he kept fumbling over the most important line.

"Will you m—" he whispered to himself, but he stopped himself quickly when he heard the door open, and he dove behind the stack of love potions.

"George?" Angelina's voice erupted from the silence, besides the wind blowing the rain outside. "George?"

He inaudibly placed everything where it needed to be, and came from behind the table, which, thankfully, Angelina was facing away from.

He stepped over to her and tapped her on her back, making her jump and pull out her wand.

"AHH—George!" she sighed and placed her wand back in her pocket. He laughed.

"What do you want?" she asked, a bit impatiently. This just made him chuckle again.

"Er, could you come this way please?" he asked as he led her into his office. She stood in the doorway while he took out a stack of papers.

"What do you want?" she asked again.

"Could you sort through these papers?" he wondered as if it was no big deal. Her mouth fell agape.

"Why in Merlin's beard would I ever do that?" she exclaimed to him, crossing her hands in the process.

He smirked. Phase one complete.

"I'll be right back. I just need you to put one stack of papers that are finished into one pile and ones that aren't into another," he explained as he headed for the door.

"What makes you think I'd want to do this for you?" she retorted and spun when he exited the office.

"I didn't," he said, and before she could argue any further, he was up on the second floor, smiling mischievously.

*StarStarStar*

He was back downstairs in ten minutes, knowing that would be long enough to get her really mad.

"George!" she called for the thousandth time, sounding considerably agitated. He cackled to himself quietly, and walked down the stairs. She was standing outside of his office, her hands on her hips and a glare on her face.

"That took longer than I thought…" George defended.

"I heard no movement up there! What were you doing?" she asked angrily.

"Just some stuff…" he responded idly as he led her into the middle of the store by the love potions. She didn't seem to notice.

"You had me sort your stupid papers for nothing! I bet it was for nothing! What the bloody hell is going on here?"

She kept on ranting (making him have to hold back huge outbreaks of laughter) until she was positioned just where he wanted her.

"Tell me what this is all about, George!" she demanded lastly, until George stepped to her and put a finger to her mouth.

"I will, but just insert a Knut into the machine, will you?" he asked and gestured towards the popcorn machine he had moved into the middle of the shop.

She shook her head at him and groaned, taking out a Knut from her pocket and placing it into the slot. She held her hands open, expecting some food to come out, but instead, a piece of paper did.

"'Pick a love potion,'" she read and looked up. George was no longer standing behind her.

"George?' she called, but no one replied, so she took two steps and picked up a move potion. The words across read, "Oops, try again. Pick another."

She had received the same message on ten more following, and she rolled her eyes, not seeing any point in this.

She grunted and slammed the potion back into its place on the table, and then yanked up another one, but she had barely enough time to read the bottle, which said, "Yes!" because the voice of Umbridge erupted through the store, and it said, "Take it! Won't you take it?" as it road down the line.

This shocked Angelina, but she took the brown box from on top of the animated Umbridge's head, it saying, "Now open it!" as it road away back up where it should be in the store.

Angelina looked back down at the box and untied the string around it. She dropped the paper and string to the side, and a note that read, "Turn around," rested on top of the black velvet box.

She obeyed slowly, and she found George in front of her, kneeling. He reached up and opened the box in her shaky hands. She inhaled softly when she saw the beautiful, glistening diamond on the silver band.

"Angelina Johnson," George began, trying to say it in a strong voice. "Will you—"

"Yes!" Angelina projected out and tossed her arms around his neck, causing the two of them to stumble backwards onto the floor. She still had her arms around him tightly as she lay atop of him on the floor. He smiled finally, the shock still resonating in his body, and hugged her even more tightly back.

"You didn't give me a chance to finish my speech," he teased into her shoulder. He could feel the tears coming from her eyes as they danced onto his shirt, and he was sure it was the same way for her.

"I'd love to hear it when we get home," she said and brought his face to hers. He hugged her closer, grinning against her lips, while he sat up.

"And I love you," he said against her lips. "Have I told you that today?"

"I love you too," she said back to him, laughing shakily.

"More than anything," he added.

"More than anything," she agreed and kissed him again.

"You've made me so happy," he said in between kisses, trying to hold back more tears. She nodded, silently saying the same thing to him.

He shook his head and smiled again, so brightly, and told her, "Merlin…I really love you."

She laughed and pressed her lips to his again.

He was so happy, he couldn't think. He couldn't do anything except return the kisses she was giving him and tell her that he loved her. That's all he was able to do then, and he knew he wouldn't be able to stop smiling for hours, days, or maybe even the rest of his life, because he knew now that she'd be there to spend it with him.

A/N: For all of you who didn't get the last chapter title, it was Guilty of Being Innocent of Being Jack Sparrow. I just replaced his name with Ron's.

Anyways… HEY ALL! I like this chapter…a lot…Heehee...

But it did take a very long time to update. Apologies. I hope you liked it!

And yeah, there hasn't been as much Ron/Hermione stuff as before, but I'll try to get as much as I can in with them in the next few chapters. It is _their_ story. I just wanted to get the other relationships developed and such…

NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW:

Title: Dearly Beloved

…It's not much, BUT AL LEAST YOU GET SOMETHING!

Huh…more feedback and you'll get an extra chapter preview for the chapter after this one? ;) Anyways, thanks to everyone who's reviewing. It means a lot !

Next chapter coming soon!


	17. Dearly Beloved

Tending to Him

Chapter 17: Dearly Beloved

He drew in a slow, deep breath—nervous.

He felt like he had been awaiting this day for so long, he wanted to just speed through it all so that he could officially call her his, but he knew she would just roll her eyes. She would want the whole process, and she deserved it. And he would give it to her.

Finally, for what seemed to be ages of watching the girls in the smooth, silver dresses walk up, the crowd rose, and the music gently lifted into the well known theme.

**THREE MONTHS AGO**

He felt a hand under the table wrap around his, and he smiled, knowing it was time.

George looked up at the dinner table, and then at Angelina. She grinned reassuringly and nodded once. He then looked back at his family.

"George," his father said after a large swallow of her dinner, "you seem to be acting awfully strange, don't you?"

"Do I?" he lied. "I hadn't even noticed…"

He meant for his voice to fade off when he looked at Angelina again. Molly's eyes narrowed when she saw this and wondered, "George…what's gotten into you?"

"Yeah, you and Angelina both have been acting weird," Ron said loudly, enunciating every word in the sentence. George glared at him briefly, knowing he was just trying to make him feel even more awkward. He cursed at himself beneath his breath, knowing that telling Ron wouldn't have been the best idea.

Well, he didn't exactly _tell_ Ron…

**TWO DAYS BEFORE**

The family had been out, and the two of them were home alone. They had been engaged for only a few days, but they loved every minute of it. Knowing that they would be able to call the other "theirs" made them both feel as if the day wasn't coming fast enough, but they both knew that there was much to do before.

However, at this moment, they were just loving each other more.

All of the shirts, pants, and underclothes they had been wearing were now sprawled across the floor. Only the sheets were in their way, and they were planning to rid themselves of that as well.

His lips had trailed all the way down her chest and back, capturing her lips once more in his small bedroom. She gripped him tighter and traced her teeth lightly over his bottom lip, causing a moan to escape from his lips.

"Mmm, I love you," he whispered in her ear and his kissed it.

"And I love you," she replied. His hands traced down her arms, which were above the sheets, and held the end, about to pull it down, until he heard the door open.

Both of their heads snapped to the door, and he immediately jumped up and pulled his boxers on.

"Who's home?" Angelina whispered out, holding the sheets around her body.

"I don't know," George replied and he struggled to put his jeans on. "They said they'd be home at eleven, and it's ten now."

With that, Angelina took the undergarments that were beside the bed and hastily put them on. George was looking out the door, trying to listen to who it was while she pulled the rest of her clothes on.

"Who is it?" Angelina questioned as she straightened out her hair and placed it in a ponytail.

"I can't pick them out," he replied before he walked out of the room and down the stairs. She followed him.

They instantly halted when they got to the bottom of the steps, and Ron and Hermione were looking back at them, confused expressions of their faces.

"So…" Ron began to his older brother, "what up with you, Messy?" glancing at George's extremely untidy hair.

"What are you two doing home so early?" George asked after he rolled his eyes at his brother, trying not to turn red, but he probably did.

"It's ten," Hermione said.

"You should've called," he returned, sounding disappointed.

"We didn't know anyone would be here," Ron replied, "let alone doing what _you_ two were doin—"

"Shut it!" George intervened before he could continue any further. Ron just laughed lightly and looked down, but while he was, he caught something.

_Oh__no__…_ George thought, pretty sure he knew what was coming, and by the way Angelina looked, she did too.

"Oi, George," Ron started, not taking his eyes off of Angelina's left hand.

"Oh, Angelina!" Hermione exclaimed and threw her arms around Angelina's torso. Angelina laughed and hugged her back.

"When did this happen?" she finished and pulled back to look at it again.

"Only a few days ago," she responded, still grinning. "Come on, I'll tell you how it happened." She was smiling devilishly at George, and he knew that wasn't a good sign.

He was about to protest, but the two girls rushed up the stairs quickly.

"…Georgie's engaged," Ron chuckled. George turned back to him and sighed. "Little Georgie's engaged!"

"Shut up, will you?" George said and pushed his brother. "You can't tell anybody about this. Angelina and I will at dinner in a couple days."

Ron put up his hands and said, "Okay…" laughing again as he walked towards the stairs.

"…But I really am happy for you," he said lastly and continued in his pursuit to his room. George raised his eyebrows once quickly, but then he smiled, and he knew that he really meant it.

"**IN A COUPLE DAYS AT DINNER"**

"George…what's gotten into you?"

"Yeah, you and Angelina both have been acting weird," Ron said loudly, enunciating every word in the sentence.

George looked at Angelina once more, and she lifted her left hand from under the table at the same time he said, "Angelina and I are engaged."

At the exact instant later, everyone had jumped up and ran over to the two of them. George nodded, knowing this would happen while Angelina laughed once, figuring the same. Mrs. Weasley and all the other ladies all swarmed around Angelina, and the men walked over to George, happy as ever.

"Congratulations, mate!" Harry cheered as he hugged him.

"George! I never thought you'd get married…" Percy remarked under his breath jokingly.

George shoved him, but then added, "Me neither," back to him, and the two of them laughed together again.

He turned back to look at his fiancé and smiled when he saw that she was very happy telling everyone about it.

**TWO MONTHS LATER**

"Yeah, there is nothing wrong with it at all," Hermione smiled at Angelina while she looked at herself in the long, strapless, sleek dress. They had gotten very close, almost like sisters, and it was the same with Ginny, who was going to be her sister, and who was also there.

"Good," Angelina sighed in relief, glad that her fitting went well. "Ginny, come out now!"

Ginny smiled as she walked out of the dressing room with her shining, silver dress that draped down to the floor. The two other girls smiled immensely once they saw her, and Ginny stood next to the future bride.

"You look gorgeous!' Angelina exclaimed and looked at the two of them in the mirror.

"Thanks again for being my maid of honor," she said to Ginny.

"Thank you for picking me," Ginny returned back to her.

"You two look so amazing," Hermione said as she walked up to them, looking at herself in the mirror, "but now, I'm just destroying your picture."

"Go try on your dress Hermione," Angelina told her, "so you can just make the picture better. You were never destroying it, by the way."

Hermione smiled and went into the dressing room, quickly taking her clothes off and placing the elegant bridesmaid dress on.

She came out soon after and walked up to Ginny and Angelina waiting at the top.

They both complimented Hermione in the beautiful dress, and then Angelina said, "Okay. Now all I have to do is get married."

**PRESENT TIME**

She saw the guests rise and turn towards the back of the tent where she would soon be entering. Her breath quickened and became unsteady, but when she felt the reassuring touch of her father's hand on hers, it began to regulate once more.

"Ready?" he spoke to his daughter quietly.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she whispered back. Then, she took a deep breath and walked out towards the tent.

She scanned all of the guests until she finally reached the line of gentleman and women standing by the alter: The girls standing on the row to the left gave her smiles, and the Weasley gentlemen plus Harry all looked very dapper and content while they watched Angelina walk down the isle. Then, her eyes stopped on George.

Wow, she didn't think this would really happen. She thought it was just simply a little detail from a fairy tale, but it was as real as anything else. She did not see anyone else when she saw her husband-to-be. She smiled even wider, and her heart began to race when she saw him smile back. She tried to pace herself.

At last, she took her final step towards George, and her father passed her hand into his after kissing it.

She held hands with him, and the two faced the man who was about to marry them.

"Dearly beloved…"

He kept looking from the preacher to his soon-to-be wife, and the two would often meet eye-to-eye and giggle or smile even more.

She was so beautiful—he wouldn't be able to tell her that enough.

"George, do you take Angelina to be your wife, to help and to hold, through sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," George replied. He glanced at Angelina and winked; a short, kidding smile came upon her face.

"And do you, Angelina, take George to be your husband, to help and to hold, through sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Angelina said.

"I now pronounce you bonded for life! You may kiss your bride."

The sparks danced around Geroge and Angelina as he took her head in his hands and kissed her. They smiled against each other's lips and finally released to see the cheering crowd.

Angelina looked over, and Ginny and Hermione were both beaming at her, and she didn't think she could get any happier than that.

*StarStarStar*

The reception was filled with great joy, and it was almost time to go.

Angelina turned to the crowd of squealing girls and threw the bouquet of flowers over her head. She turned around just in time to see a surprised looking Ron catch it and Hermione stare at him with her mouth open.

The crowd of family and friends exclaimed many congratulations to the newly-weds as they ran off to the flying car on their way to their honeymoon in the Amazon.

She leaned over and savored the kiss from her new husband, and he did the same.

"Ready to go, Mrs. Angelina Weasley?" George said as he started the car.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied and kissed him one last time before they took off into the night sky together for the first time as husband and wife.

A/N: HEY EVERYBODY! What's-What's going on?

Nothing? Oh, that's good. Wait, what? I'm—…I'm late?

For what? OH this? Yeah, I'm sorry, guys, I was just soo busy with stuff I don't want to explain to you… :D….so I guess I'll just have to apologize a lot.

SORRY!

Anyways, did ya like the chapter? Please tell me! Everyone who says something every chapter, even if it's just a simple "great chapter!" makes me feel awesome so I can keep writing this, and I'm making sure I can _keep_ writing this… Someone's still reading this, right?

Anyways, Next chapter coming soon! ;)


	18. Heart of Courage

Tending to Him

Chapter 18: Heart of Courage

**Ron's Point of View**

3 week, 4 days, 11 hours.

**3 WEEKS LATER**

4 days, 11 hours.

**4 DAYS LATER**

11 hours.

It was currently 9 o'clock on the bright Sunday morning. I had a lot to think about. See, Hermione's coming back tonight from this month-long trip she took for her job at the Ministry. Obviously, I've missed her like crazy. It's the Auror School all over again. I can't stand not being able to see her every morning when I wake up, but I've found out that's not the only thing that's bothering me.

I'm not able to make sure she's not with someone else. I mean, of course she wouldn't let that happen, but there's nothing promising there; nothing to tell those no-good tossers she's with someone else…something official.

I want to get married.

And what better way to surprise her with something like this, right?

…Right?

I mean, come on. It's been five months since George and Angelina got married. We've been together for such a long time, and honestly, I didn't think I'd be the one to care about time, but I feel like it may be running out.

I want a long life with her, so I've made up my mind. I am a little nervous about it…I mean, I haven't told anyone about it yet…

**10.5 HOURS LATER**

Sitting on the couch.

**10.7 HOURS LATER**

Sitting on the couch…

**10.9 HOURS LATER**

Even though I was still sitting on the couch, it was 7:55, and she'd be home in 5 minutes.

Well, never mind then. She just walked through the door.

"Hermione," I sighed and rushed to her, swooping her up in a close hug.

"Oh, Ron!" she replied, caught off guard, but nonetheless, she returned my greeting. I finally set her down and looked into her eyes…her beautiful, brown, glowing eyes…

And I kissed her. And she kissed me back.

I could've kissed her all night, I was sure, but I remembered what I wanted—_needed_—to do.

"Hermione," I began, my voice shaking a little. "I-I…"

What would I say? I had planned _something_ out, but what was it? I couldn't believe I was forgetting…

"I think I'm going to make some tea," she said, "do you want something?"

I shook my head, still trying to remember what I was going to say. She walked over to the kitchen and started some water. She looked as if she hadn't even heard me.

"Er… How was the trip?" I wondered, trying to at least make some conversation with her.

"Well, I'm glad to be home," she exhaled and turned to me. "A month of nonstop work is exhausting, but I think it paid off. I'm just really tired… Maybe I should just go to sleep…"

She sounded tired. Her voice trailed off at the end of her sentence, and her eyelids fluttered rapidly.

"Oh," I said, now wanting to get to the point. "Mione, I actually wanted to tell you something…"

She rubbed her eyes again as she hummed, "Hmm?"

I stopped walking slowly towards her. Perhaps…even though I wanted it to be…tonight was not the night…to propose…

"Oh, well I suppose it can wait," I responded, trying hard to not make it sound like I was disappointed.

"Hmm? Oh, Ron…" she trailed off again.

"No, no," I stopped her. "Just go off to bed. I'll turn off the tea."

She walked over to me slowly and sleepily and softly pressed her lips to mine.

"Goodnight," she whispered and went off to our bedroom upstairs.

I watched her until she turned the corner of the staircase, and I went over to the stove and turned the burner off, it burning me for a slight moment. I took in a sharp, quiet breath and ran it under some water for a few moments, wondering, if I had asked her, what she would have said.

I mean, I knew that she loved me, and she knew I loved her very much, but there is that anxiety—that doubt—that she could say what I don't want to hear. And so, I went to bed minutes after her, thinking, and thinking some more.

**Hermione's Point of View**

I felt a tap on my shoulder. And another, and another. The sunshine flew through my eyelids, but I didn't open them.

"Wow, she's really exhausted, isn't she?" I heard a voice say. It wasn't Ron's.

"Yeah," another said—this one was Ron. "She's been asleep ever since she got back, really."

"When did she get back?" I then recognized this to be Harry.

"Around 7:50," Ron replied. "We hardly talked…"

"Hardly talked meaning…"

This is where the voices cut off. I waited a few more silent moments before I turned and opened my eyes. There was no one present in the room. I sat up and looked down at myself. I was still dressed in the clothes I had come home in except for my sweater and jacket, which I suspected Ron was nice enough to take off for me.

I got up from the bed and walked over to the wardrobe. I removed my shirt and pants and put on my robe, and then I walked down stairs. Harry was sitting at the kitchen counter eating something in a bowl and Ron was opposite him, leaning against the counter.

"Yes, but if I were…" he was saying, but he cut off when he saw me.

"Ahh, afternoon, Mione," Harry said and continued eating.

"Afternoon?" I wondered. "What time is it?"

"About 3:30," said Ron.

"3:30… Oh Merlin, I have to go to work—" I panicked and began towards the steps until Ron stopped me.

"Hold on, Hermione, it's Saturday, remember? You got back yesterday: Friday,' he explained. I sighed and rolled my eyes at myself. I must've looked completely boggled.

"Oh, yes. That's right…" I mumbled and walked over and sat next to Harry.

"Are you okay? Do you need some more sleep?" he asked.

I shook my head and answered, "No, no, I'm fine. I just feel weird…like something was supposed to happen yesterday."

"Yesterday? You mean like something at work?" Harry inquired and looked at Ron. They both looked a bit tense.

"No, no it was after work. But I was only conscious for a few minutes after work…"

"Well, whatever it was, I'm sure it'll _come around soon_," Harry replied. Why did he make those last three words so rough? I was too taken aback by my thoughts to voice my question, so I let it slip.

"So, um…Mione…" Ron began quietly. I still had my eyes rested downwards when I hummed for him to continue.

"I was thinking, as a welcome home treat, that you'd like to go out tonight," he finished. I looked up at him. He was looking shyly between Harry and me.

I smiled, appreciative of his offer and asked, "Where did you have in mind?"

"Somewhere nice out to dinner. I had this place in Muggle London in mind…"

"Sounds lovely," I spoke and smiled some more. "I'll go on and get ready and dressed."

I stood up and walked for the stairs when he called, "But our reservation isn't until seven—"

"Well, I'm a mess anyways," I interjected. "I might as well clean up, and you know how girls are."

"Wait, Mione," Harry stopped me from continuing up the steps. I looked down at him, and when I saw his expression, I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What is it, Harry?" I wondered and slowly step by step walked down to the floor again.

He glanced back at Ron once and then focused on me again. His face still wore the same, mildly scared expression.

"I…Well I wanted to tell you when you woke up—I mean, I wanted to tell you at the same time—together… I asked—"

The door opened suddenly, and Ginny walked in. All of our faces were locked on her. She walked forward and smiled as if she knew what we were talking about. When she got to Harry she placed an arm around him. Was it what I thought it could be…

"I asked her to marry me," Harry finished. I gasped in a large breath and dashed forward, smiling hugely, grabbing both of them in a tight, breath-taking embrace.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so happy for you!" I exclaimed. "Oh, Ginny…"

She had held out her left hand and showed me the ring. It was beautiful—perfectly resting on her finger.

When I looked back at Ron, he was frozen solid: his eyebrows were raised, his eyes were wide, his mouth was open… I giggled a bit.

"Oh, Ginny you have to tell me everything! But I really should wash off…"

She nodded and said, "Okay!" before I hugged them both one last time and went upstairs.

**Ron's Point of View**

I was completely frozen solid. They…Harry and my sister were getting…married?

After Hermione was upstairs, Harry and Ginny turned to me. When Harry saw my face his smile vanished.

"Look, Ron—" he began, but I cut him off.

"How… You two are en…enga… What about everything I told you about me and Hermione?"

"Listen, mate," he tried again. "After Ginny and I got engaged, we talked about it, and of course I'd want you to be right there next to me when I get married…"

"And I want Hermione to be right there next to me when I get married…" Ginny said. "So we were thinking, since you had the idea too, why don't we have a sort of…duel weddings?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. I was surprised Ginny had said this.

"'Duel Weddings'?" I repeated. "It'll be _your_ special day, though."

"Well that's what we realized," Harry said. "Even if it was just us getting married, it would be _our_ special day. And we'd invite the same people and have it at the same place anyways…"

"Mum would force us to have it at home, Ron," Ginny adjoined. I nodded in agreement.

"Well, just think about it," said Harry. "We don't have to make any decisions now. I was just thinking, since you wanted to get married and I wanted to get married and we're best mates…"

I nodded once again, but a frown was on my face. I was still processing all of this…

They left a few moments after, and I was still staring at the ground.

So he comes in here, I tell him I crazy about marrying Hermione, and he announces he's engaged to my sister? I mean, I didn't tell him that I wanted to until earlier today, and he would have had to propose to her before that, but what made him think that I'd want to get married _with_ him? I mean, maybe I would have had the same thought process if I got engaged first—cause he is my best mate—and maybe he would have thought what I'm thinking now if I did what he had. He couldn't help it; he didn't know _really_…

And now I just felt a bit guilty for accusing him of ruining my chance to marry Hermione cause two couples engaged is too much for this huge family…but getting married together with the people you love the most isn't a _horrible_ idea…

With that, I went upstairs into the bedroom. I heard the water run in the shower, and I smiled—just acknowledging her presence; the presence of the girl I could be marrying.

I opened the top drawer of my dresser and in the back beneath all the clothes, I found the small, black, velvet box that I would bring with me tonight. I smiled to myself.

**Hermione's Point of View**

I exited the shower 45 minutes later. I yanked a comb through my hair, shampooed, and shampooed again, conditioned, combed again, shaved, washed, washed again, and finally finished. I couldn't believe how disfigured my hair was, and I had a particular, foul odor under my arms (probably as a result of sleeping in layers). Anyways, it felt good to clean off.

I stayed another ten to twenty-five minutes in the bathroom _brushing_ my hair after I put some anti-frizz product in it, rubbing some more cleaning stuff on my face to make it smooth, and then I moisturized my legs. It was 4:30 by then.

"Mione," Ron called up to me at this time, "the resturant is a pretty fancy one! Just to let you know."

And then, I spent ten more minutes in the bathroom applying make-up. It took me a while to put it on so that it looked natural. Where's Ginny when you need her? I eventuallu got it so that I at least looked presentable, but I wanted to look exquisite. I felt like something would happen tonight—like the feeling I had last night, but since it didn't (at least of my knowledge), I kept thinking it would tonight. So, for whatever it was, why not look my best?

Then, I moved on to my closet. I scanned the dresses I had. There was a blue one, red one, and a green one. The blue one was a deep color, but it was really long. The green one was given to me by Ginny. It was an olive green strapless, formfitting dress, but it would be too chilly to wear tonight. The red one was also very dark—like a brick red—and it reached my knees. The sleeves reached my elbows and it had a straight, low neckline, but it also seemed to hug me in the right places. I chose that one.

I looked over to the clock and it was 5 o'clock. I had spent a bunch of time trying to figure out which dress would look best on me: one not taking weather into account, and one taking it.

With that, I slipped on the dress and zipped it up the back. Finally, since I had not applied anything on my lips, I placed the same tone as my dress on my lips with a slight gloss. I looked at myself in the mirror. Yeah. I did good.

"Mione, do you want to go out somewhere before we go to dinner now—" Ron stopped suddenly when he entered the room. I was picking up the robe from the bed. When he didn't finish his sentence, I placed it on the doorknob as I tried to conceal a laugh, so all I did was smile.

"Where did you have in mind?" I asked softly, still smiling.

"Oh…um, I don't know… Anywhere you'd like to go is fine…"

He examined my body again: his eyes were still just as wide and his mouth still hung open just a little. Yeah. I did good.

**Ron's Point of View **

She was too beautiful; it was almost to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. After I saw her there, and after practically drooling over her for five minutes, I began to change. She suggested to just a little walk around to burn off some time, and if our table is ready early, then we can get to dinner earlier.

I tried to organize my hair in a presentable fashion, and when I finished with that, I began to change into my suit. I took out a dark suit from my dresser with the black velvet box and placed my pants on. I zipped them up and but the belt around my waist. Then, I put the white button-up shirt on, but before I had time to button it, she walked in.

"Do you have a—" Hermione stopped suddenly when she entered the room. I stood in front of her, frozen again, afraid she saw the item behind me, but then I quickly spun around and shoved the box under the dress jacket and sat down in front of it. I smiled to cover any suspicion.

She smiled a sly, small smile back at me that made my heart rate speed up slightly as she walked toward me.

"What?" I asked, worried that she might get a glimpse of it.

"I was gone so long, I forgot how handsome you were," she spoke and stood in between my legs, placing her hands on my shoulders and rubbed them smoothly. I just laughed once awkwardly. Then, she leaned in towards my face and placed her lips on mine.

I kissed her back slowly, but we were leaning back, and I tried my best to keep from falling. However, it was Hermione, and she would make me weak. As soon as my arms were about to give out, I broke off the kiss and suggested, "We should get going. I-I don't want to miss our reservations…"

"Okay," Hermione said softly, raising her eyebrows momentarily, but then she backed away from me and walked out of the room. I watched her go…her beautiful-self go…

I wondered how I managed to look nice when standing next to her—next to that exquisiteness. But then I thought of how close she came.

She was inches away from seeing it—maybe even touching it. How odd would that have been…

After those moments of thinking, I then hurried up and finished getting dressed. Carefully, I placed the box in the pocket. Then, I rushed downstairs and saw her finishing up placing some things in a small, brown purse. She looked up at me and smiled. I returned it.

"Ready to go?" I asked while she came to me. She nodded. I looked down at my watch.

"Do you think we should go over to the restaurant now to see how long of a wait we may have or do you want to go on a walk first?" I asked. It was five forty-five.

"I guess we could go to the restaurant just to check in," Hermione answered. I agreed, and then, we apparated a block away from where we would be dining.

"Oh, it's a beautiful night, isn't it?" she remarked and looked up at the crisp sky. It was not yet dark, but the moon was very visible.

"Yeah it is," I replied and looked down at her. I smiled as her beauty radiated into the evening.

When we entered the restaurant, it was completely crowded. I wondered if Hermione and I were even going to be able to move. I looked back at her uncertainly, and she did the same to me. I focused back on the counter and saw three people present. I scooted to them, Hermione following.

"Hi, excuse me," I said. "I have a reservation for seven o'clock under Ron Weasley. I was wondering if there were any openings…"

I looked around again, and I knew that just sounded foolish—it was also partly because of the way the girl at the computer was glaring at me. She seemed nice.

"There's no reservation for Ron Weasley at seven o'clock," she spoke curtly. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What? What no there has to be," I insisted. "Ron Weasley seven o'clock."

"It's not listed here. It says for eight forty-five," she spoke.

"What?" I asked again and glanced back at Hermione. "Why would we want to eat dinner at eight forty-five?"

"Why are you asking me? You made the reservation," the lady returned again and rolled her eyes. "Look. There's a pager here. It looks like you've requested…the deluxe room… Once it goes off, that means the room is open. If it doesn't, then come by your regularly scheduled time."

"There aren't any openings before that?" I wondered quickly.

She laughed once and responded, "Yes it's always open. That's why I just gave you the pager."

I sighed and took the pager and turned around. I rolled my eyes as Hermione and I exited the restaurant.

"Mione, I'm so sorry—" I apologized.

"No, no it's fine, Ron," she interrupted. "We'll just have more time to walk and look around Muggle London."

I nodded.

"What the deluxe room anyway?" she wondered. I shrugged.

"I wanted the best I could possibly give you, so they suggested it, but I don't really know what it is," I answered. She just laughed and took my hand, and then I began to laugh with her.

**LATER THAT EVENING (8:15)**

We were walking beneath the trees in a park. The stars were shining brightly now, and when I looked down at Hermione, they were glistening in her eyes.

"I'm getting hungry," she spoke, and as if right on time, the pager in my pocket began to flash. We both chuckled a bit before we apparated to the restaurant. The crowd was a tenth of the size it was when we first arrived, and there was a different person at the counter this time.

"Mr. Weasley?" she asked when we got inside.

"Yes?" I answered.

"Right this way," she said. She led us through the restaurant. There were still many people there. Finally, she halted in front of two sliding doors. Then, a long hallway appeared and we walked to the end of the hallway again.

"Here we are," she said and opened another set of sliding doors. The room was quite large, and so was the table. Hermione and I froze.

Candles were lit all along the dark orange and red walls, and the carpet matched it with a hint of brown along the edges and in the middle.

"Your menus are on the table, press this button to buzz me back in to order," the lady said before she left. It took us another few moments to actually move and laugh.

"Ron, I can't believe this," Hermione said between laughs while she sat down at the table.

"Neither can I," I admitted. "What…what is this?"

Hermione shook her head, just as perplexed as I, but that didn't stop us from continuing to laugh.

After we chose what to eat, which took a good twenty minutes, we ordered. And it finally came after the same amount of time.

"So… What do you think about Harry and Ginny?" I asked after I took my last bite of the steak I ordered.

"It's exciting…" she responded and then beamed, "Ron, our best friend is getting married! If only we could be right there with them."

My head shot up, surprised at the words that came out of her mouth.

"What?"

"I mean… Do you think they'll ask us to be the maid of honor and best man?" she adjoined. I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, um, actually, Harry asked me when you were in the shower."

"Good!" she said and giggled. "Our Harry's getting married… Oh Merlin."

I laughed at her excitement and then asked cautiously, "Er, Mione… What do you think about marriage?"

She looked up at me and furrowed her eyebrows.

"What do you mean?"

"Well—"

Before I could finish, the waitress walked in and retrieved our plates.

"Would you like me to bill you tonight or in the morning?" she asked. I completely forgot about what I had been saying.

"The morning?"

"Yes," she replied. "If you press this button—" she gestured towards the button on the far right on the wall next to the door—"the table goes underground and the bed on the wall comes out."

"Bed?"

"Yes," the waitress laughed. "This is the deluxe room… It's a sort of hotel stay, if you will. We allow our diners to stay the night if they're…you know." She looked between Hermione and me before she left.

"Ron…" Hermione spoke from behind me.

"Listen, Hermione, I had no idea about this—" I rushed out, but she shook her head.

"No, that's not what I'm talking about," she intervened. "You were saying something about marriage."

Again, before I could answer, there was an interruption. A knock on the door sounded. I walked over to the door and slid it open.

"Excuse me, sir," the gentleman spoke. "I believe this is yours."

I went wide-eyed again when I saw the velvet box in his gloved hands, and I looked down at my jacket. How could I be so stupid?

I lifted the pager from my jacket pocket, traded him the box for the pager, nodded once in thanks to him, closed the door, and then turned around slowly to find Hermione sitting there with her hands over her mouth and her eyes open wide.

"…I guess I don't have to explain any further," I said and shifted awkwardly in front of the door. Then, I moved forward slowly.

"While you were gone, of course I missed you," I began steadily, although, my heart was on an extremely different pace, "but there was something I wanted…for both of us…"

I was in front of her now, she still looked exactly like she did, but she was looking at the box I held in my hand instead.

"Hermione," I said and shakily bent down…on one knee… "I want to call you mine wherever you go, and I want you to call me yours wherever I go. Whenever and wherever, we'd always be each other's. And I want that…I've wanted that so badly… So, Hermione Jean Granger, will you do me the honor of making me the happiest man alive…by being my wife?"

I had not taken my eyes from hers, and she hadn't either. I watched as they became wider and wetter, and then she smiled, so brightly.

She nodded, and nodded again, over and over as she said, "Yes. Yes, of course I will, Ron!" and her arms wrapped around my neck as we locked into a tight embrace and kissed.

It finally broke off when she looked back down at the ring and I placed it onto her finger.

"Oh…Ron, it's beautiful," she said and giggled. I stood up.

"Maybe we should get this table out of the way," I suggested. She giggled again, but not the same way. Her eyes we dry now, and they were naughty.

She stood from the table and backed away before I pressed the button on the far right. I watched her, and only her as the table sank beneath the floor and as the bed shifted down from the wall. I took my jacket off and she placed her accessories on the bedside table. After a while of just looking at each other, we both walked forward. My breathing became audible and uneven, and I could hear hers doing the same as well. We both stopped and pressed our hands on the other's clothes. As she slowly unbuttoned my shirt, I slid my hands down her arms and back up again, and then I moved to her back.

The back of her dress wasn't that low, but it was beneath her hair length. I traced my hands down the zipper and then back up again, catching the zipper this time, and I went down again. She pulled my shirt off at this time, and I began to slide her dress off as well, and she fell back on the bed as I did. I pulled it off gently and her shoes at the end, leaving her with only undergarments, and then I peeled off my trousers and shoes as well. This is when I sprung over her and pressed my eager lips to hers passionately.

The night escalated and continued to go on for hours. Just being there with her was amazing…being there with my future wife was amazing.

A/N: Oh. My. Merlin. Guys…

I'M SO SORRY! I…I KEPT GETTING BUSY AND STUFF….I'm so sosososo so so so sosososoo SO SORRY!

So, to make up for it… I wrote you this long honkin chapter: THE ENGAGEMENT! YAY! Hope that makes up for it!

…Maybe? :B

Well, I was very pleased with you comments. They keep me going! They let me know that someone's reading this!

…Right?

I said that last time too hehe :)

ANYWAYS, let me know what you think! And since it's SUMMER, I might have…

Next chapter coming soon!


	19. Be Prepared For Marriage

Tending to Him

Chapter 19: Be Prepared (For Marriage)

**Hermione's Point of View**

"…Well what about that one…or this one… OOH that one's really pretty…" Ginny and I were looking through catalogs trying to find the perfect—I can't believe I'm saying this—wedding dress. Why? Because I'm getting married!

I've been feeling like I've felt _way_ to over-excited the past months, but I could never dial down my enthusiasm. Ginny doesn't help with that either.

I laughed as she scanned page after page of her magazine for dresses. She had picked about ten to fifteen that she absolutely loved already, while I was only on the third page looking at every detail on every dress. I only had about three that I chose so far.

"How are you going to be able to choose if you keep piling on more options?" I giggled at her. It was all good fun now, sure, but she would have to pick sooner or later—preferably sooner.

"Once I get a bunch of choices, then I can cancel out all of the ones that aren't as good as a couple of them," Ginny answered, her gaze not breaking from the sheets. I laughed again and then concentrated back on my catalog.

It had been three months since Ron proposed. I remember the night so crisply… Just the thought made me beam brighter than all the stars in the sky. Ron and I and Harry and Ginny are going to get married together. It seemed odd at first, but when I thought about it, it seemed like it would just make the whole day more special.

Ginny and I had already decided on the dresses the bridesmaids were to wear (even though we hadn't picked out our dresses yet), but when we saw them, we just knew. This is the most girlish I've felt in years…maybe ever.

We had also already picked out flowers, centerpieces, and decorations. All that was left were our bouquets and dresses. The dresses definitely took the longest.

*StarStarStar*

Ginny and I, accompanied by Luna and Angelina and Molly Weasley, went to the muggle wedding dress shop a week after we had narrowed our selection down to five or less (five was the maximum amount to make sure Ginny didn't get carried away with trying too many on).

"How's work been treating you, Luna?" I asked while Ginny put on one of her options.

"Very demanding," Luna replied in her majestically voice that I hadn't heard in a very long time. "I just arrived home from a trip. I'm glad you asked me here, though. It gets my mind off things."

"Of course, Luna," I replied and smiled at my old friend. "We're glad you could make it."

"Alright," Ginny called, "I'm ready!"

All of us sat up straighter on the couch while she exited the changing room with the attendant carrying the train behind her.

My mouth fell agape when I saw her for the first time in a wedding dress.

"Oh, Ginny…" Molly trailed off.

"That's beautiful!" Angelina exclaimed and stood from the couch.

"Yeah…" Ginny said. "But do you think this is it?"

She didn't wait for a response to add, "I want to show you guys another one! This is the one I like best."

I rolled my eyes and called after her, "What about the other three?"

"I don't like those as much as I like this one!" she called from inside the fitting room. Within another minute, she was back out of the room, and I was truly taken aback. She had showed me the picture, but seeing it in person on her made me realize how right the dress was for her. I stood up and walked over to her.

She giggled and asked, "This one?"

I nodded and repeated, "This one."

**Ron's Point of View**

I got home late Thursday. I was putting all my papers away when I ran into Ralph. I narrowed my eyes at the thought of him. I didn't know why I didn't like him…I guess he was just one of those people who you don't like.

Well…I seemed to be the only one who thought that, though. Harry got along with him just fine, but whenever I was around him, I just kind of became…uneasy?

He came into the Auror Administration about a month ago. He transferred from Romania, so Charlie knew him. When I asked my brother about him, he said he was great. I didn't believe him.

See, I know it sounds selfish, but everyone has something they're good at, you know? Something they shine at everyone else doesn't, or doesn't as well. Mine is throwing. You know: throwing those big, heavy sacks or something across a long distance? I know, it's not the coolest… but aurors have to be strong and agile at the same time, and I'm the strongest, least agile—but agile—person on the team. Well…at least I was. In comes Ralph Scamander. Here we are, having a good time at the bar and we're having the throwing contest. I got the farthest, and I was the last one to go. Actually, no. Because Ralph hops on in here and gives it a go. And where does he chuck the bag? All the way out the window, whereas I had mine _right below_ the window cause I didn't want to throw it to far and _break_ anything or something…

But lets back it up to when he was about to pick up the bag. At first, before he picked it up, I thought it was a joke. Do you want to know why? He's tall, but he's the skinniest thing I've ever seen. But out of nowhere, he acquires this massive amount of strength?

Okay, I got a little off track.

Anyways, I ran into him, and he was being all jolly and…_Ralph_, so I had to smile and pretend I was having a nice time talking to him.

I'm in a bad mood.

When I got home, it hadn't escaped me, but seeing Hermione's face did bring me up a bit.

"Oh, go, Ginny, go!" she whispered loudly up the stairs. I furrowed my eyebrows after I hung my coat up.

"Hi, Ron," she welcomed and walked down the stairs as if nothing happened.

"What was that about?" I wondered looking down curiously and playfully at her.

"Oh, nothing," she answered. "Ginny and I just took care of some business today."

"Wedding business?"

Hermione smiled a small smile and nodded. I then smiled, greeted her with a short peck on the lips and then made my way into the kitchen.

"So why'd you get home so late?" Hermione wondered and followed me.

"I just got caught up at work," I answered, trying not to think about it. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine," she replied.

"Oh, hi, Ron," Ginny said when she walked down the stairs.

"What were you doing up there, Gin?" I asked as I poured some tea into a mug.

"Like I would tell you," Ginny said blandly right before she waved goodbye to Hermione and shut the door behind her.

Hermione chortled shortly before turning back to face me.

"You seem really exhausted," she said as she made her way behind the chair I was sitting in and began to rub my shoulders. I just breathed out a deep sigh instead of answering. She placed her head on top of mine and just kept massaging me soothingly. I _was _really exhausted.

"Well, I'm going to go up to bed," she yawned. "Are you coming?"

I looked up at her and nodded, "Yeah I'll be up soon. Thanks."

She smiled down at me and kissed me. Then, she headed for the stairs and walked up them. I finished my tea soon after and put it in the sink.

When I got upstairs, she was in her nightgown and her eyes were closed. I took off everything to except my boxers and climbed into bed next to her. She must have felt the bed move because she turned over and pressed up against me, her eyes still closed. She had her head on my chest and I took the hand on my stomach and held it. I liked her warmness, her comfort. I was going to have that forever. I smiled faintly down at her and kissed the top of her head. I was going to hold that hand forever.

A/N: Hey y'alls! I actually updated rather soon this time!

*Applauds self*

Anyways, GAHH have I lost readers? Oh no! This story is not abandoned!

OK I know I don't usually point out favorites, and I can't really for this, but one of the ANON reviewers was really sweet a while ago and I just wanted to say THANK YOU! And A HUGE **THANK YOU** to everyone who reads and reviews!

EVERYTHING you guys say makes me feel awesome! Actually, while I'm pointing out people… :B I want to give a huge thank you to **~jeremiah123** and **~milan4ever**!

HAhah thanks so much for not forgetting this story, guys, and you've stuck with me for so long, you make me feel SUPER!

Anyways, y'all tell me whatcha thought/think of this chapter and/or what is to come!

The end was suddenly sentimental, but I was listening to a reeeeaaaally pretty song and I couldn't help it :B

Ok well, anything else…?

Next chapter coming soon!


	20. Say YES!

A/N: HELLO THERE! I WELCOME YOU TO A VERY SPECIAL CHAPTER OF TENDING TO HIM… AND A VERY SPECIAL EPISODE OF… SAY YES TO THE DRESS! So, for those of you who are wondering, no song title :c. And sorry this kinda interferes with the last chapter… It was supposed to be before that. :B

Key: Italics: narrator speaking, bold italics: title, underlined: person talking in the room/being interviewed thingy

Tending to Him

Chapter 20: SAY YES TO THE DRESS!

_When it comes to selling bridal gowns, each bride is unique and has different expectations about how she wants to look on her wedding day. _

_**Say Yes to the Dress!**_

_It's a quiet morning at the bridal salon, but not for long. The consultants meet, talking about the busy day ahead of them and how to fulfill the bride's expectations._

"Each bride has her own vision of how everything's going to look," Nicole, the director of sales, says. "Make sure you listen and take everything into account when they're telling you about the dresses they want."

_Downstairs, two anxious brides await their consultants._

"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger, and I've come to Kleinfeld to find the perfect dress!"

_Hermione meets Keasha downstairs to begin their appointment._

"Hi, I'm Keasha, it's nice to meet you," Keasha greets Hermione. "Who have we got here today?"

"I brought with me my friend, Luna, my soon-to-be sister-in-law, Angelina, my soon to be mother-in-law, and actually, Ginny here, is getting married with me, and she's also looking for a dress"

"Oh, okay," Keasha laughs. "Come with me."

"Two brides, one wedding, two dresses," Keasha sighs. "Lets do this."

"Who's going first?" Keasha asks when the family sits down on the couch in front of the mirror.

"Hermione," Ginny answers.

"Okay, right this way, then." Keasha ushers Hermione into a room.

"So, tell me about your fiancé."

"My husband's name is Ron. He's…the most amazing man I've ever met. I think we always liked each other throughout the time we spent together at Hog—I mean, high school, but it never really showed until our last year."

"Okay, and what is your price point?" Keasha asked.

"I'd liked to keep it around 4,000," Hermione answered.

"And what kind of dress would you like to wear?" Keasha asked.

"I like the shoulder straps," Hermione replied. "I don't like too much sparkles or jewels. Here are some pictures I found in a magazine of some of the ones I really like. I don't want to look like Cinderella, but I want to feel magical."

"I like that," Keasha smiled. "I'll be right back with some dresses.

_While Keasha goes off to look for dresses, Randy meets the family on the couch._

"Hi, my name is Randy," he introduced, "and if I'm not mistaken, there are _two_ brides here today!"

"I heard that Keasha had an appointment with two—_two—_brides, so I made my way upstairs to help out."

"Yes, hello," Ginny said. "I'm Ginny."

"Hello, Ginny, love the accent." Randy shook her hand. "Now I'll go find Keasha and see if we can speed this up a little so that both of you can try on some dresses!"

_Back in the fitting room, Hermione tried on her first dress._

"Oh, wow, this is beautiful," Hermione says. She walks out to the mirror and steps onto the stool.

"Hermione, that's gorgeous," Angelina says. Hermione nodded.

"I think I might want something more flowing," Hermione said as she studied herself in the mirror.

"You have a great body," Ginny said. "Why not show it off?"

The dress was mermaid style, and it had flowers on one hip and one where the dress flared out. The bottom was fluffy.

"Hey!" Randy greeted Keasha. "I was just looking for you. Do you want me to take Ginny back and help pick out a couple dresses for her? She wouldn't try tem on yet, but we'd have some picked out."

"Oh, that'd be terrific, thank you so much," Keasha thanked. "Meanwhile, lets get you in another dress. Ginny will be back in no time so she'll see you in this next one."

_While Keasha and Hermione headed off to the dressing room, Ginny and Randy went off into a vacant changing room._

"So where's you price point?" Randy asked.

"Five thousand," Ginny answered.

"And what do you imagine yourself in?"

"I'd like to have the mermaid style with a sweetheart neckline. Jewels are fine, but not too many"

"Okay! I'll go off and pick out some dresses while you go back to Hermione," Randy said.

_As Randy heads off to the dress selections, Ginny goes back to Hermione, where she's trying on her second dress._

"Oh, wow," Ginny said. "I think I like this one better than the first one."

The dress was strapless had a sweetheart neckline and flowed out smoothly from under the top.

"Me too," Hermione said. "What do you think about this part, though?"

Hermione gestured around towards the plainness of the top.

"It is a bit bland," Angelina said.

"Okay, lets get you changed," Keasha said. "I think I have the dress you're looking for."

_Keasha went off in hopes of find the perfect dress for Hermione…_

"Please be here, please still be here!"

…_as Hermione waits in anticipation. Finally in the stock room, Keasha finds the dress and heads back to Hermione._

"Here it is," Keasha smiles.

"Oh, yeah," Hermione said and smiled at the dress. "That's lovely."

"When I first saw the dress, it wasn't like the last dress I tried on, which I thought was the direction we were going, but it wasn't too much like the first one, either. And when I tried it on, it completely struck me."

_She then walks out of the room excitedly._

"Yes!" Ginny said. "Yes, that's it."

Hermione giggled.

"I know what you said about not being fitted—" Keasha began.

"No, no! This is amazing!" Hermione cheered as everyone else beamed at her.

The dress had an off-the-shoulder sleeve, and it was fitted until it reached below her hips, where it flowed out.

"It has that combination of the sleeves and flow," Hermione said.

"So… Are you saying yes to this dress?" Keasha asked.

"…I'm saying yes to this dress!" Hermione cheered.

"That's lovely, deer," Molly cooed and hugged Hermione.

_Now, it's Ginny's turn. Randy arrives back in the dressing room where Ginny is already ready to try on dresses. Keasha takes over from there._

"So Randy filled me in on everything," Keasha said. "Ready to try on some dresses?"

"Yes," Ginny said and smiled as she looked at the dresses on the rack. She saw two she really like, and tried the one she didn't like as much on first. The first one she tried on was fitted until about her knees, where it slicked down. There were a bunch of jewel patterns at the top and they trickled down to where the fitted part stopped.

"Oh, Ginny…" Molly said as Ginny arrived from the dressing room.

"That's beautiful!" Angelina exclaimed.

"Yeah…" Ginny said. "But do you think this is it?"

She didn't want for a response to add, "I want to show you guys another one! This is the one I like best."

_Anxious to show off her top pick, Keasha helped her change into her dress to show her family. Within a minute, she was back out of the room, and her family was truly taken aback._

"Oh…" Luna sighed and smiled.

Ginny giggled and asked, "This one?"

"This one," Hermione agreed.

"So are you saying yes to this dress?" Randy and Keasha asked.

"Yes!"

_Every bride has their own expectations on how they're going to look on their wedding day, and with the right guidance, that goal can be achieved._

A/N: Yeah no alterations person, oh well :c WELL I hoped you liked this random little wacky chapter! It was entertaining to write :D!

Next chapter coming soon!


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